The conservative management of toxemia: a brief report of effective perinatal concepts.

Toxemia remains inscrutable. Modern perinatal medical facilities have, however, been able to reduce perinatal mortality in this and other chronic illnesses affecting mother and baby by the increased ability to assess fetal maturity and monitor continued welfare. Modern advances in neonatal intensive care have aided inestimably in improving the results. A 5-year experience with a conscientious but conservative approach to toxemia is presented, with perinatal mortality identical to that of the overall population at 11/1000 live births. Results are compared to older data on neonatal mortality from toxemia, emphasizing the importance of cooperative efforts by the obstetrician and neonatologist in any successful perinatal program.