Advances in perinatal care and declining regional neonatal mortality in Finland, 1968-82.

Neonatal mortality (NNM) was investigated in the region of the University Central Hospital of Turku (UCHT), Finland, during a 15-year period from 1968 till 1982. During the study period 81 620 liveborn infants were born. The NNM rate declined from 13.5 in 1968 to 3.0 in 1982 during the study period. Significant declines occurred in NNM due to respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and asphyxia. The decline in NNM was more obvious during the early neonatal period (0-6 days after birth) and in the low birth weight (LBW) group (BW less than 2500 g). We believe that centralization of obstetric and neonatal services in risk cases and the new neonatal intensive care accounted for the decline in NNM.