Abstract
A risk factor is any ascertainable characteristic or circumstance of a person or group of persons that is known to be associated with an abnormal risk of having, developing, or being especially adversely affected by a morbid process (1). Risk factors may be causally or indirectly connected with the unwanted outcome, but any strategy for a counterattack must start with the identification and ranking of such factors. For perinatal death the analysis must consider the child itself, its mother, circumstances around the pregnancy and birth, and more remotely but increasingly important, social and economic conditions.