[The evolution of perinatal pathology and its prevention in France. The national enquiries by INSERM in 1972-1976 (author's transl)].

Two national enquiries were carried out in France by INSERM in 1972 and in 1975-76 in order to review the efficiency of using medical discoveries and health programmes. The first was carried out on a representative sample of 11,254 deliveries and the second on a representative sample of 4,685 deliveries. The perinatal mortality rate and the prematurity rate have gone down quite definitely, while on the other hand the birth weight has stayed more or less identically the same and the number of small-for-dates babies has not become less and in fact there is a slight tendency for a rise in the number. Antenatal care has improved considerably for most women, without the idea of high risk factors having really become integrated. The number of maternity units with fewer than 15 beds has considerably dropped, especially in the private sector. Monitoring of labour and of the newborn has shown a certain progress. These changes exist in a family context which is evolving with more planned pregnancies and a slight improvement in the social and cultural conditions of parents.