Factors related to perinatal morbidity and mortality. Risk factors in pregnancy influencing perinatal morbidity and mortality.

Perinatal and infant mortality is a serious public health problem throughout the world. Its prevention has major social, medical, and economic implications. Prospective and retrospective studies of pregnancy and infancy in many populations of the world have resulted in the definition of risk factors correlated with perinatal morbidity and mortality. Early recognition of these risk factors is extremely important for the prevention of perinatal morbidity and mortality. The most important risk factors are related to the age of the pregnant mother, parity, race, previous fetal loss, medical care, poverty, illegitimate or unwanted pregnancy, education of the mother, multiple births and maternal morbidity.