Perinatal deaths due to causes which may be prevented or controlled through appropriate antenatal attendance are the targets of antenatal services in developing countries. Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil, concerned with amplifying the quality of services offered to pregnant women, with the inclusion of new obligatory laboratory tests, implanted a statewide extention of the Unified Health System (SUS)- the State Program for the Protection of the Pregnant (Programa Estadual de Proteção à Gestante / PEPG), with the objective of reducing maternal and infantile mortality rates, and including the prevention of mental retardation and other deficiencies in neonates, as well as improving the quality of life of both. With the objective of investigating the occurrence of the diseases screened by the Program that can offer risks to pregnant women and the neonate, this study analyzed the results of 8477 blood samples from pregnant women assisted in the PEPG, in the period of 105 days (07/11/2002 to 20/02/2003), involving 74 Municipalities of the State of Mato Grosso do Sul. Secondary data was also analyzed such as age, gestacional trimester, number of gestations and history of abortion, as recorded on the collecting card. The distribution of the results was tabulated and described in detail by age group and disease. The analysis of the epidemiological profile of the women included in the PEPG, in the study period, indicated generally lower positive rates than in the national and international literature. It was concluded that PEPG, is a new strategy of the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, in the search for integral attendance to the health of the pregnant woman and the neonate, that attempts to create an awareness that prevention actions are still the best weapons for the combatting disease.