The management of severe toxemia in patients at less than 36 weeks' gestation.

Fifty-five patients at less than 36 weeks' gestation with severe toxemia were treated conservatively. The pregnancies were continued for a mean duration of 19.2 days and the mean gestation at delivery was 35.2 weeks. Fifty-three percent of the deliveries were by cesarean section. Of the neonates, 56.5% showed severe intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), 17% had asphyxia neonatorum, and 13.2% developed respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). There were 3 stillbirths and 2 neonatal deaths for a mortality rate of 8.9% and a corrected rate of 7.1%.