Los bautizados de socorro de Pedro Bernardo (Ávila). Un momento de transición en el registro de la muerte neonatal.

Emergency baptism refers to the number of infants born with little chances of survival. The logical place to look for this type of baptism seems to be the baptismal register. However, to get a complete picture, an examination of registers of deaths is necessary. This is the conclusion drawn from registers kept by the parish priest of Pedro Bernardo (Ávila) from 1845 to 1860. These books provide surprising data which urge for a revision of current ideas about the effective number of emergency baptisms and the dangers of the very first moments of life. A combined analysis of both parish registers pertaining to baptisms and deaths might enhance our knowledge about who administered emergency baptism, the main risks for newborns, and the causes of their deaths.