[Experiences in studying multiple causes of perinatal mortality on the basis of a special "perinatal death certificate"].

The importance of the perinatal mortality requires a thorough study of its causes. The development of effective measures for reduction of perinatal mortality must be based on the knowledge of not only the immediate causes of death of the baby (fetus) but also of all the factors of diseases and conditions of the mother, conditions of the placenta, external causes exerting a marked damaging effect on the fetus. The paper describes the experience of investigating multiple causes of perinatal mortality on the basis of a special "Perinatal Death Certificate" (registration form 246-PS) introduced in the USSR in 1974, using for coding the International statistical classification of diseases, traumas, and death causes of the IX revision which will be used in this country since 1981. This experience permits to formulate suggestions for the development of multiple causes of perinatal death within the framework of the national statistics.