Changing patterns of perinatal and infant mortality in Western Australia: implications for prevention.

Abstract

Perinatal and infant mortality rates have fallen dramatically in the developed world this century. A review of perinatal and infant mortality in Western Australia from 1970 to 1981 was undertaken, to examine trends in birthweight-specific and cause-specific rates. The predominant causes of death are now congenital malformation, stillbirth of unknown cause, preterm birth and cot death. Perinatal and infant mortality rates are unlikely to be reduced substantially until the reasons for these four causes of death are elucidated.