This bibliography serves as a comprehensive index of controlled clinical trials conducted in the field of perinatal medicine between 1940 and 1984. Prepared by the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit at Oxford with support from the World Health Organization, the text provides a structured repository of data intended to assist researchers and clinicians in evaluating the efficacy of perinatal interventions. It functions as a foundational reference tool for evidence-based practice in maternal and neonatal health.

Medical researchers and historians of medicine frequently cite this volume as a critical archival resource for tracking the evolution of perinatal clinical research. Experts highlight the text as a foundational reference for those conducting meta-analyses or longitudinal studies on neonatal care standards.