Maternal risk factors affecting perinatal mortality.

delivered safely. Perinatal death audits that evaluate both cause of death and potential for preventability are crucial to reduce preventable mortality. Finally, availability of sufficient staff and appropriate equipment to handle obstetric emergencies is crucial. Most important is the recognition that in order to reduce neonatal death and disability from intrapartum asphyxia, prevention and treatment of obstetrical conditions in the mother is better than resuscitation of an already asphyxiated infant. This paper is important because it focuses on the intrapartum factors related to perinatal asphyxia, and starts to address preventable causes [6]. Further work should evaluate methods to reduce perinatal asphyxia of obstetric origin.