title: [Between being born "alive" and being born "alive and vital": the clinical evaluation of viability].
abstract: This paper reviews the definition of stillbirth and its clinical implications in assessing survivability outside the womb. The World Health Organization's definition of stillbirth and its epidemiological purposes are taken into account, together with a brief review of the international opinions regarding the medical assessment of the presence of life signs at birth.
authors.affiliation: Neonatologia, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria A. Meyer, Firenze.
authors.forename: Maria Serenella
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Pignotti
mesh_terms: D005328:Fetal Viability; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000502:physiology*; D050497:Stillbirth