. . . "But the perinatal infant death rate was about 5x what it is now.Placenta praevia is not that uncommon, and a major one is likely to cause death of the baby and can cause the mother to bleed out too.A footling breach or other position undeliverable vaginally is better discovered when there is still time to plan a section rather than have transfer of an exhausted labouring woman for an emergency one." .