Premium
Decision‐making at the borderline of viability: Who should decide and on what basis?
Author(s) -
Gillam Lynn,
Wilkinson Dominic,
Xafis Vicki,
Isaacs David
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of paediatrics and child health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.631
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1440-1754
pISSN - 1034-4810
DOI - 10.1111/jpc.13423
Subject(s) - medicine , neonatology , intensive care , preterm labour , term (time) , intensive care medicine , medical emergency , nursing , pregnancy , gestation , genetics , physics , quantum mechanics , biology
Parents and medical staff usually agree on the management of preterm labour at borderline viability, when there is a relatively high risk of long‐term neurodevelopmental problems in survivors. If delivery is imminent and parents and staff cannot agree on the best management, however, who should decide what will happen when the baby is delivered? Should the baby be resuscitated? Should intensive care be initiated? Three ethicists, one of whom is also a neonatologist, discuss this complex issue.