ABSTRACT
Introduction From the early 20th century onwards, obstetric care has been directed to achieve an optimum outcome of pregnancy for both mother and child. To qualify the quality of obstetric care, the maternal mortality rate during and shortly after pregnancy, and the perinatal mortality rate are used as rough indicators. After antibiotics became available in the 1930s and blood transfusions in the 1940s and 1950s, maternal mortality sharply decreased.1-3
Perinatal mortality decreased, particularly during the second half of the previous century, due to improved living conditions, the introduction of vaccination policies, Rhesus D sensibilisation prophylaxis and paediatric care immediately after delivery.1,4-6 During the past decades, however, perinatal and maternal mortality have not further decreased.3,7 The most common causes of perinatal mortality and morbidity are major congenital malformations,8 premature birth9 and foetal growth restriction.10
