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Summary The treatment of 158 grossly infected patients in late labour has been reviewed. The morbidity and mortality following Caesarean section in such cases is high compared to vaginal delivery by destructive operation. Vaginal delivery by destructive operation in skilled hands is safer, although cases have to be carefully judged and selected. Caesarean section is not refused if the fetus is alive even in the presence of infection and it is the best method of treatment when the lower segment is on the verge of rupture, even if the fetus is dead.

The study was conducted in 2831 pregnant women with no diagnosed complication at the time of registration to obtain normal foetal growth pattern for clinical and ultrasonographic parameters. Normal values for maternal weight, fundal height and abdominal girth for clinical and biparietal diameter, abdominal circumferences and femoral length for ultrasonographic parameters are presented. Clinical and ultrasonographic parameters were compared for their efficacy in prediction of low birth weight. Neither clinical nor ultrasonographic parameters were found to be satisfactory in identifying the foetus at risk of low birth weight. It has been found that clinical parameters for routine monitoring are as effective as ultrasonographic parameters and have the added advantage of being easily replicable at the peripheral level of health care.

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