1
|
Cavolo A, Pizzolato D. Ethical reflections on organizing the first human trial of artificial womb technologies. Prenat Diagn 2024; 44:336-342. [PMID: 38204186 DOI: 10.1002/pd.6521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate how to protect participants in the artificial womb technology (AWT) human trials. METHOD We compared randomized controlled trials and single arm trials to understand which trial design best balances the interests of science and participants. We also compared AWT trials with comparable settings to understand how to protect participants. RESULTS Randomized trials might fail in reaching a sizeable sample, which could pointlessly expose participants to risks. Furthermore, parents who choose to participate in the trial might expect to receive AWT. Failed expectations might distress parents and hinder the therapeutic relationship. The trial is divided into two steps. First, delivery into AWT involves two participants: the mother and the fetus. As AWT requires a C-section, the procedure cannot be carried out without the mother's consent regardless of fetal benefit. Treatment in AWT, involves one participant: the infant. As for any other invasive intervention, the AWT trial should be suspended if harmful. CONCLUSIONS A single arm trial could prevent some of the methodological and ethical challenges of the randomized trials. Moreover, better decisional tools should be developed to help parents decide whether to participate in the AWT trial. For example, using visual aids or showing the AWT.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alice Cavolo
- Institute of Biomedical Ethics and History of Medicine (IBME), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Centre for Biomedical Ethics and Law, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Daniel Pizzolato
- Centre for Biomedical Ethics and Law, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- European Network of Research Ethics Committees, Bonn, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Thorvilson MJ, Carroll K, Kaemingk BD, Schaepe KS, Collura CA. The use of projected autonomy in antenatal shared decision-making for periviable neonates: a qualitative study. Matern Health Neonatol Perinatol 2023; 9:15. [PMID: 38037157 PMCID: PMC10691151 DOI: 10.1186/s40748-023-00168-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In this study, we assessed the communication strategies used by neonatologists in antenatal consultations which may influence decision-making when determining whether to provide resuscitation or comfort measures only in the care of periviable neonates. METHODS This study employed a qualitative study design using inductive thematic discourse analysis of 'naturally occurring data' in the form of antenatal conversations around resuscitation decisions at the grey zone of viability. The study occurred between February 2017 and June 2018 on a labor and delivery unit within a large Midwestern tertiary care hospital. Participants included 25 mothers who were admitted to the study hospital with anticipated delivery in the grey zone of viability and practicing neonatologists or neonatology fellows who partnered in antenatal consultation. We used a two-stage inductive analytic process to focus on how neonatologists' discourses constructed SDM in antenatal consultations. First, we used a thematic discourse analysis to interpret the recurring patterns of meaning within the transcribed antenatal consultations, and second, we theorized the subsequent effects of these discourses on shaping the context of SDM in antenatal encounters. RESULTS In this qualitative study, that included discourse analysis of real-time audio conversations in 25 antenatal consults, neonatologists used language that creates projected autonomy through (i) descriptions of fetal physiology (ii) development of the fetus's presence, and (iii) fetal role in decision-making. CONCLUSION Discourse analysis of real-time audio conversations in antenatal consultations was revelatory of how various discursive patterns brought the fetus into decision-making, thus changing who is considered the key actor in SDM.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Megan J Thorvilson
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st St SW, Rochester, MN, 55905 (507)-255-0117, USA.
| | - Katherine Carroll
- School of Sociology, College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Bethany D Kaemingk
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st St SW, Rochester, MN, 55905 (507)-255-0117, USA
- Division of Neonatal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Sanford Children's Hospital, Fargo, ND, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, USA
| | - Karen S Schaepe
- Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Christopher A Collura
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st St SW, Rochester, MN, 55905 (507)-255-0117, USA
- Division of Neonatal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Mazarico E, Meler E, Mendoza M, Herraiz I, Llurba E, De Diego R, Comas M, Boada D, González A, Bonacina E, Armengol-Alsina M, Moline E, Hurtado I, Torre N, Gomez-Roig MD, Galindo A, Figueras F. Mortality and severe neurological morbidity in extremely preterm growth-restricted fetuses. ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY 2023; 62:788-795. [PMID: 37325877 DOI: 10.1002/uog.26290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To develop a model for the prediction of adverse perinatal outcome in growth-restricted fetuses requiring delivery before 28 weeks in order to provide individualized patient counseling. METHODS This was a retrospective multicenter cohort study of singleton pregnancies with antenatal suspicion of fetal growth restriction requiring delivery before 28 weeks' gestation between January 2010 and January 2020 in six tertiary public hospitals in the Barcelona area, Spain. Separate predictive models for mortality only and mortality or severe neurological morbidity were created using logistic regression from variables available antenatally. For each model, predictive performance was evaluated using receiver-operating-characteristics (ROC)-curve analysis. Predictive models were validated externally in an additional cohort of growth-restricted fetuses from another public tertiary hospital with the same inclusion and exclusion criteria. RESULTS A total of 110 cases were included. The neonatal mortality rate was 37.3% and, among the survivors, the rate of severe neurological morbidity was 21.7%. The following factors were retained in the multivariate analysis as significant predictors of mortality: magnesium sulfate neuroprotection, gestational age at birth, estimated fetal weight, male sex and Doppler stage. This model had a significantly higher area under the ROC curve (AUC) compared with a model including only gestational age at birth (0.810 (95% CI, 0.730-0.889) vs 0.695 (95% CI, 0.594-0.795); P = 0.016). At a 20% false-positive rate, the model showed a sensitivity, negative predictive value and positive predictive value of 66%, 80% and 66%, respectively. For the prediction of the composite adverse outcome (mortality or severe neurological morbidity), the model included: gestational age at birth, male sex and Doppler stage. This model had a significantly higher AUC compared with a model including only gestational age at birth (0.810 (95% CI, 0.731-0.892) vs 0.689 (95% CI, 0.588-0.799); P = 0.017). At a 20% false-positive rate, the model showed a sensitivity, negative predictive value and positive predictive value of 55%, 63% and 74%, respectively. External validation of both models yielded similar AUCs that did not differ significantly from those obtained in the original sample. CONCLUSIONS Estimated fetal weight, fetal sex and Doppler stage can be combined with gestational age to improve the prediction of death or severe neurological sequelae in growth-restricted fetuses requiring delivery before 28 weeks. This approach may be useful for parental counseling and decision-making. © 2023 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- E Mazarico
- Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, BCNatal, Barcelona, Spain
- Departament de Ciències Clíniques, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Primary Care Interventions to Prevent Maternal and Child Chronic Diseases of Perinatal and Developmental Origin Network (RICORS), RD21/0012/0003, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - E Meler
- Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Seu Maternitat, BCNatal, Barcelona, Spain
| | - M Mendoza
- Department of Obstetrics, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
| | - I Herraiz
- Fetal Medicine Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Instituto de Investigación Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
- Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Primary Care Interventions to Prevent Maternal and Child Chronic Diseases of Perinatal and Developmental Origin Network (RICORS), RD21/0012/0024, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - E Llurba
- Primary Care Interventions to Prevent Maternal and Child Chronic Diseases of Perinatal and Developmental Origin Network (RICORS), RD21/0012/0003, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau), Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain
| | - R De Diego
- Hospital Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain
| | - M Comas
- Parc Taulí Hospital Universitari, Institut d'Investigació i Innovació Parc Taulí (U3PT), Sabadell, Spain
| | - D Boada
- Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Seu Maternitat, BCNatal, Barcelona, Spain
| | - A González
- Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, BCNatal, Barcelona, Spain
| | - E Bonacina
- Department of Obstetrics, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
| | - M Armengol-Alsina
- Department of Obstetrics, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
| | - E Moline
- Primary Care Interventions to Prevent Maternal and Child Chronic Diseases of Perinatal and Developmental Origin Network (RICORS), RD21/0012/0003, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau), Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain
| | - I Hurtado
- Hospital Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain
| | - N Torre
- Parc Taulí Hospital Universitari, Institut d'Investigació i Innovació Parc Taulí (U3PT), Sabadell, Spain
| | - M D Gomez-Roig
- Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, BCNatal, Barcelona, Spain
- Departament de Ciències Clíniques, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Primary Care Interventions to Prevent Maternal and Child Chronic Diseases of Perinatal and Developmental Origin Network (RICORS), RD21/0012/0003, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - A Galindo
- Fetal Medicine Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Instituto de Investigación Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
- Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Primary Care Interventions to Prevent Maternal and Child Chronic Diseases of Perinatal and Developmental Origin Network (RICORS), RD21/0012/0024, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - F Figueras
- Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Seu Maternitat, BCNatal, Barcelona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Schuyler AQ, Carlo WA. Preterm Prenatal Education-A Novel Approach. JAMA Pediatr 2023:2807914. [PMID: 37523169 DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2023.2569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Waldemar A Carlo
- Division of Neonatology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Laventhal N. Negative Studies and the Future of Prenatal Counseling at the Margin of Gestational Viability. J Pediatr 2023; 258:113440. [PMID: 37088184 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2023.113440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Naomi Laventhal
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Syltern J, Ursin L, Solberg B, Støen R. Postponed Withholding: Balanced Decision-Making at the Margins of Viability. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOETHICS : AJOB 2022; 22:15-26. [PMID: 33998962 DOI: 10.1080/15265161.2021.1925777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Advances in neonatology have led to improved survival for periviable infants. Immaturity still carries a high risk of short- and long-term harms, and uncertainty turns provision of life support into an ethical dilemma. Shared decision-making with parents has gained ground. However, the need to start immediate life support and the ensuing difficulty of withdrawing treatment stands in tension with the possibility of a fair decision-making process. Both the parental "instinct of saving" and "withdrawal resistance" involved can preclude shared decision-making. To help health care personnel and empower parents, we propose a novel approach labeled "postponed withholding." In the absence of a prenatal advance directive, life support is started at birth, followed by planned redirection to palliative care after one week, unless parents, after a thorough counseling process, actively ask for continued life support. Despite the emotional challenges, this approach can facilitate ethically balanced decision-making processes in the gray zone.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Janicke Syltern
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology
- St Olavs Hospital University Hospital in Trondheim
| | - Lars Ursin
- The Norwegian University of Science and Technology
| | | | - Ragnhild Støen
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology
- St Olavs Hospital University Hospital in Trondheim
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
De Proost L, Geurtzen R, Ismaili M'hamdi H, Reiss IKMI, Steegers EAPE, Joanne Verweij EJ. Prenatal counseling for extreme prematurity at the limit of viability: A scoping review. PATIENT EDUCATION AND COUNSELING 2022; 105:1743-1760. [PMID: 34872804 DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2021.10.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To explore, based on the existing body of literature, main characteristics of prenatal counseling for parents at risk for extreme preterm birth. METHODS A scoping review was conducted searching Embase, Medline, Web of Science, Cochrane, CINAHL, and Google Scholar. RESULTS 46 articles were included. 27 of them were published between 2017 and 2021. More than half of them were conducted in the United States of America. Many different study designs were represented. The following characteristics were identified: personalization, parent-physician relationships, shared decision-making, physician bias, emotions, anxiety, psychosocial factors, parental values, religion, spirituality, hope, quality of life, and uncertainty. CONCLUSIONS Parental values are mentioned in 37 of the included articles. Besides this, uncertainty, shared decision-making, and emotions are most frequently mentioned in the literature. However, reflecting on the interrelation between all characteristics leads us to conclude that personalization is the most notable trend in prenatal counseling practices. More and more, it is valued to adjust the counseling to the parent(s). PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS This scoping review emphasizes again the complexity of prenatal counseling at the limit of viability. It offers an exploration of how it is currently approached, and reflects on how future research can contribute to optimizing it.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lien De Proost
- Department of Medical Ethics, Philosophy and History of Medicine, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Neonatology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam The Netherlands.
| | - Rosa Geurtzen
- Department of Neonatology, Radboud University Medical Center, Amalia Children's Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Hafez Ismaili M'hamdi
- Department of Medical Ethics, Philosophy and History of Medicine, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - E A P Eric Steegers
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam The Netherlands
| | - E J Joanne Verweij
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam The Netherlands; Department of Obstetrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Arbour K, Laventhal N. Prognostic value of clinicians' predictions of neonatal outcomes in counseling at the margin of gestational viability. Semin Perinatol 2022; 46:151523. [PMID: 34844787 DOI: 10.1016/j.semperi.2021.151523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Within antenatal counseling sessions at the margin of gestational viability, clinicians frequently to use population-based outcome data and statistical models to guide the decision-making process. These tools often utilize non-modifiable prenatal factors to estimate outcomes based on population averages. However, most parents prefer individualized predictions, which cannot be supported by these models. Additionally, prognostic accuracy is limited by institutional practices surrounding active management of infants at the margin of viability. Throughout the literature, parental perspectives emphasize the importance of communicating subjective information, such as providing hope and supporting personal values, over the importance of accurate prognostic information from the clinician. In this review we aim to describe the value of clinician prognoses in the decision-making process at the margin of gestational viability and emphasize the importance of addressing parental values during the counseling process, regardless of the expected outcome.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn Arbour
- Pediatrics Resident, University of Texas Southwestern/ Children's Health
| | - Naomi Laventhal
- Clinical Associate Professor, University of Michigan, Department of Pediatrics.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Tucker Edmonds B, McKenzie F, O'Donnell B, Panoch J, Hoffman SM, Kavanaugh K, Kuppermann M. 'Expert advice' for developing decision support: A qualitative study of women who have experienced periviable birth. PATIENT EDUCATION AND COUNSELING 2021; 104:2565-2570. [PMID: 33726986 DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2021.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To elicit advice from women who have experienced periviable birth to optimize periviable counseling, care, and decision support. METHODS We conducted a qualitative study among 21 women who experienced periviable deliveries within three years. Using semi-structured interviews, we asked participants what advice they would offer providers and women/families based on their own experiences. Interviews were independently coded by three trained coders. RESULTS For providers: Participants said to be 'patient' and appreciate the novelty of each family's experience. They suggested being 'realistic' and 'factual'; favored joint OB/Neonatology counseling; and encouraged providers to attend to maternal guilt and self-blame. For women/families: They encouraged asking questions, avoiding the internet, and finding joy in whatever time they had with their child. For hospitals: They advocated for changes to facilitate more mother/baby contact. CONCLUSION Providers can support parents by presenting facts, showing empathy and patience, and reassuring women that they are not to blame. This study highlights patient perspectives to improve interactions with providers, optimize women/families' experiences, and advance efforts toward developing patient-centered systems of periviable care. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS Women who experience periviable birth desire counseling that is empathetic and 'realistic', encouragement to ask questions, and reassurance that outcomes are not their fault.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Fatima McKenzie
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Department of OB/GYN, Indianapolis, USA
| | - Betsy O'Donnell
- University of California San Francisco, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, San Francisco, USA
| | - Janet Panoch
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Department of OB/GYN, Indianapolis, USA
| | - Shelley M Hoffman
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Department of OB/GYN, Indianapolis, USA
| | | | - Miriam Kuppermann
- University of California San Francisco, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, San Francisco, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Taylor GL, Joseph RM, Kuban KC, Douglass LM, Laux J, Andrews B, Fry RC, Price WA, O’Shea TM. Changes in Neurodevelopmental Outcomes From Age 2 to 10 Years for Children Born Extremely Preterm. Pediatrics 2021; 147:peds.2020-001040. [PMID: 33824183 PMCID: PMC8086004 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2020-001040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Evidence-based care of extremely preterm infants (<28 weeks' gestation) depends heavily on research in which a primary outcome is infant neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI), yet it is unclear how well NDI in infancy predicts long-term NDI. In this study, we aim to assess the relationship between 2- and 10-year neurodevelopment using a well-known 2-year definition and a 10-year definition developed by an expert panel. METHODS Using data from the Extremely Low Gestational Age Newborn Study cohort, we classified 2-year NDI using definitions developed by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network. We classified 10-year NDI using definitions developed by an expert panel, which added epilepsy and ASD at 10 years. RESULTS Of 1506 infants, 80% survived. Data sufficient to classify severity of NDI at both 2 and 10 years were available for 67% of survivors (n = 802). Among children classified as having moderate to severe NDI at 2 years, 63% had none to mild NDI at 10 years; among children classified as having profound NDI at 2 years, 36% had none to mild NDI at 10 years. Cohen's κ statistic indicated minimal to fair agreement between NDI at 2 and 10 years (0.34, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS NDI in infancy, as defined in this study, only weakly predicts NDI in middle childhood. For the parents at risk for delivery of an extremely preterm infant, a hopeful message can be taken from our findings that one-third of surviving children classified as having profound NDI and nearly two-thirds of those classified as having moderate to severe NDI at 2 years had none to mild NDI at 10 years.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Robert M. Joseph
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Karl C.K. Kuban
- Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts; and
| | - Laurie M. Douglass
- Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts; and
| | - Jeff Laux
- The North Carolina Translational and Clinical Sciences Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Bree Andrews
- The University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Rebecca C. Fry
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health,,Department of Pediatrics, and
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
11
|
O'Neill J. 'Whatever decision you make it will be the right one': A parent's reflection on difficult decision-making in premature birth. J Paediatr Child Health 2019; 55:885-889. [PMID: 31168872 DOI: 10.1111/jpc.14529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2019] [Revised: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
In 2007, our daughter Lily was born prematurely. My husband and I were faced with a very difficult decision about the level of intervention for her, a decision that had to be made in an emergency situation under the pressure of time. As a paediatric nurse I had more knowledge about prematurity than most parents, and it was certainly enough to appreciate the fragility of babies born early, and their uncertain and often complicated path through neonatal intensive care. What I didn't fully appreciate was the key role of health professionals, not only in providing care, but in supporting difficult decision-making. In the years since Lily's birth I've also reflected on the power of health professionals to shape, or reshape, the narrative of premature birth which is pivotal in the long-term psychological trajectory of parents.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jenny O'Neill
- Department of Neurodevelopment and Disability, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| |
Collapse
|