The course of history is never one of smooth progression. Periods of relative quietness are interrupted by periods of wars and revolution. This pattern resembles that of a river which, before flowing into the delta, has to pass countless rapids. The same holds for the development of the science of medicine. In obstetrics some of these 'revolutions' or 'rapids' consist of the introduction of conservative obstetrical treatment by Lucas Johann Boer at the beginning of the nineteenth century, the discovery of the cause of puerperal sepsis by Oliver Wendell Holmes and Semmelweiss between 1843 and 1847, the introduction of the principle of asepsis by Pasteur in 1874, the introduction of prenatal care at the end of the nine teenth and the beginning of the twentieth century (Mijnlieff, Treub, De Snoo), the improvement of surgical techniques, the possibility to treat shock by bloodtransfusion, and, finally, the acquisition of new means for the effective therapy of infection. All these developments have led to a sharp reduction of maternal and perinatal mortality. In this connection it must be pointed out that such a reduction could never have been accomplished without the favourable social changes as a result of which medical and prenatal care could be made universally available. In recent years there has been another revolutionary develop ment in obstetrics. Two factors have been responsible for this: the ap plication of basic sciences in obstetrics, and the dissolution of the isolation with respect to other clinical disciplines.

Inhalt
Preface.- Gas exchange between mother and foetus and placental design.- Glucose metabolism in the foetus in physiological and pathological circumstances.- Intrauterine pressure and the human foetus.- Foetal heartmonitoring and biochemical examination of the child during labour.- Iatrogenic fetal hypoxia.- The influence of anesthetic drugs on the foetus and newborn.- The influence of anesthesia on the acid-base values of mother and child.- Treatment of asphyxia of the newborn.- The incidence and treatment of hypoglycemia in the newborn.- Panel discussion Part I.- Panel discussion Part II.- Comparison of ventilators for newborns and prematures.- Artificial ventilation of infants.- Pathological findings in ventilated newborns.- Summing-up.- Panel discussion.- Index of subjects.