The hospital records were reviewed of 135 infants born at or after 37 weeks of amenorrhea who suffered perinatal mortality during a 5-year period at Chonnam University Hospital. Overall perinatal mortality rate was 47.58 per 1,000 births, and the rate of subdevided groups was lowest in term infants. Half the deaths of term infants occurred intrapartum. 80.9% of intrapartal deaths was extramural cases (before the arrived at our hospital). The most frequent cause of death of term or post-term infants was extrinsic perinatal hypoxia. Further reduction in perinatal mortality for this group may require extension of perinatal care to all pregnancies. A goal for obstetrics care is that fetus alive in utero at 37 weeks of amenorrhea should not subsequently die in the perinatal period, provided no lethal malformation is present.