Fetal survival with premature delivery in complications of pregnancy

The fetal outcome was noted for the last 10,000 deliveries occurring at UCLA. Patients with premature ruptures of the membranes, toxemia, renal disease. RH sensitization, premature separation of the placenta, diabetes, and hypertension were compared to the remainder of the obstetric patients delivered during the same period of time. Our present management is preventing any actual rise in fetal loss due to fetal death in utero in successive stages of pregnancy. However, fetal death in utero does remain a continuing important factor throughout the stages of pregnancy, and if it could be prevented by a test of fetal welfare, infant survival might approach that expected for patients at the corresponding stages of pregnancy with no complications.