The results of the last four National Perinatal Surveysshow contrasting changes between 1995 and 2016. Certain risk factors, such as maternal age and obesity, increased. Two preventive behaviours did not improve: smoking during pregnancy remained frequent and did not decrease, and exclusive breastfeeding in the maternity ward decreased. Medical practices observed during delivery in 2016 were more in line with clinical practice guidelines than in earlier surveys. The rate of caesarean section remained stable. The rate of prematurity continued to increase slightly but constantly from 1995, whereas there was no clear tendency in the proportion of small-for-gestational-age infants.
French National Perinatal Surveys