Influence of perinatal care on stillbirths in patients of low socio-economic class.

In a series of 12,587 deliveries in patients of low socio-economic class, there were 356 stillbirths; prospective analysis of these showed that 42.1% occurred in the 4.7% of cases in which the mother had received no antenatal care. When booked and unbooked patients were compared it was found that the rate of stillbirths due to infection and anoxia was significantly higher among unbooked patients, who also accounted for more intra-uterine deaths due to abruptio placentae and congenital abnormalities. We speculate that diet and nutrition might play a major part in the causation of these intra-uterine deaths.