Influence of maternal renal infection on the foetus and infant.

perinatal mortality and prematurity rate in his series of bacteriuric patients in Boston. In the past decade a not inconsiderable number of similar studies has been made. No uniformity of results has emerged. The clarification of this point, with regard to the aetiology of prematurity in infants born in Stobhill General Hospital, Glasgow, was the starting point of a prospective study on renal tract infection in pregnancy. In this paper foetal and infant loss is assessed, with the hitherto unreported finding that dorsal mid-line fusion defects are significantly more frequent in infants of bacteriuric mothers than of non-bacteriuric mothers. Pre-maturity rates are assessed and evidence is shown suggestive of transfer of infection from the bacteri-