[Perinatal mortality from 1969 to 1979]

From January 1969 to December 1979 a total number of 26,255 births took place at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the General Hospital Steyr. During this period the perinatal mortality decreased from 35.7% to 11.2% and the standard perinatal mortality (according to the WHO criteria) from 23.8% to 4.8%. The premature birth rate decreased from 7.4% to 4.4%. The chance of survival for low-birthweight newborns was increased impressively. The factors which account for the improvement of these obstetrical results are analyzed.