Clinical classification of perinatal deaths.

The purpose of classifying perinatal mortality is to assist in its prevention. A clinical classification has been devised an applied to 506 perinatal deaths which occurred among 15 251 deliveries in the Peninsula Maternity Services in Cape Town during 1972. Prematurity, accidental haemorrhage and fetoplacental inadequacy are the three main causes of perinatal loss. There appears to be a lower incidence of congenital abnormalities in the Cape Cape Coloured community. Detection of the premature labour group, the aplication of prevention and the early delivery of the fetus which is unable to withstand the stress of intra-uterine life will lower the perinatal mortality rate.