[Neonatal mortality and morbidity. Priorities in perinatal care (author's transl)].
Perinatal mortality rates have been decreasing from 25 to 15 0/00 at the Port-Royal maternity hospital from 1969 to 1978. The incidence of materno-foetal infection has been stable within the last 10 years, around 1.2% live-births; mortality linked with these infections represents 28% of early neonatal deaths and remains nearly as high as mortality from malformations. The incidence of Idiopathic Respiratory Distress Syndrome has been decreasing as low as 0.3% live births (14% between 28 and 34 weeks of gestation). The risk appears not high enough to justify the systematic use of prenatal glucocorticoids. Birth injury in the full term newborn occurs at a rate of 1 0/00 births in the most severe cases. In cases of moderate severity, the incidence has been decreasing from 1% to 1 0/00 births within the last 5 years, probably due to improved obstetrical care.