[Obstetric-perinatal status 1990 in the Oder region (a contribution to the obstetric-perinatal care in East...

On the background of the first All-German-Perinatal-Study in 1992 the results in obstetrics and perinatology in the Oder-Region (east part of the State of Brandenbourg) in 1990 are described. In comparison to the results in a previous study (1985) we found a drastical decline in the number of births (newborns 1985: 10244; 1990: 7723); in addition to the changing in the reproduction- and health-care behaviour, too, we have noted a decreasing perinatal mortality from 7.5% in 1985 to 4.9% in 1990. The ameliorated monitoring-rate (cardiotocography-rate) of the fetus (1985: 71%, 1990: 88.4%) and the decreasing still-birth-rate may be the main cause of this phenomenon. Clinic-births were the most common deliveries, the house-birth was the great exception; only 0.2% of all deliveries occurred at home or otherwhere. Our data support that there is no difference, except the birth-rate, in relation to the situation in the "old" Federal Republic of Germany.