By a prospective study the authors tried to assess the state of the fetoplacental unit in pathologic pregnancies. Depending on the given situation, the following analytical procedures were used: oxytocin test (OCT), placental beta-1-glycoprotein (SP-1), amnioscopy, and analysis of the liquor amnii ingredients (L/S relationship). By combining the above quoted procedures and taking into account obstetric factors (pelvic measures, cervical maturity), the assessment was made of the state of the fetus and the placenta, of the maturity grade and gestation age, and of the condition of the fetus for delivery by the planned induction of uterine contractions. Statistical analysis (the kappa 2 test) has shown that there is no difference in the results concerning the parameters observed, which speaks for good agreement between them. In the authors' opinion, none of the methods used is an absolutely valid test but their combination and dynamic observation along with a certain clinical experience, could lead to right conclusions about the state of the fetoplacental unit before induced labour.

The authors present problems of multiparity in women with four or more deliveries, by analysing the course of delivery in these women. To this end they made a retrospective study of 299 such deliveries, by comparing them with 100 randomly selected primiparae from the same period. The results have shown as follows: The incidence of multiparae is about 1.04%; multiparae are significantly older than primapare; multiparae have a larger of spontaneous deliveries, whereas directed and induced labour proved more frequent in primiparae; in primiparae there are significantly more interventions in the course of labour (episiotomy and manual revision of the uterine cavity); labour in multiparae lasts less and their offspring has less wight and less vitality (more at risk); stillborns are four times as frequent in multiparae (3.68%) as is the general rate of mortality (0.94%).