Delivery room decision-making for extremely preterm infants in Sweden.

Full Abstract

OBJECTIVE:
To assess neonatologists' attitudes and practices regarding treatment of extremely preterm infants in the delivery room, particularly in response to parental wishes.

STUDY DESIGN:
Cross-sectional survey of all neonatologists in Sweden registered with the Swedish Pediatric Society.

RESULTS:
The response rate was 71% (88 of 124 neonatologists). At 24[1/7] to 24[6/7] weeks of gestation, 68% of neonatologists considered treatment clearly beneficial; at 25[1/7] to 25[6/7] weeks of gestation, 93% considered it clearly beneficial. When respondents consider treatment clearly beneficial, 97% reported that they would resuscitate in the delivery room despite parental requests to withhold treatment. At or below 23[0/7] weeks of gestation, 94% of neonatologists considered treatment futile. Nineteen percent reported that they would provide what they consider futile treatment at parental request. When respondents consider treatment to be of uncertain benefit, 99% reported that they would resuscitate when parents request it, 99% reported that they would resuscitate when parents are unsure, and 25% reported that they would follow parental requests to withhold treatment.

CONCLUSION:
Although neonatologists' attitudes and practices varied, respondents to our survey in general envisioned little parental role in delivery room decision-making for extremely preterm infants.

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Author information

Author/s: Peerzada, Jehanna M (JM); Schollin, Jens (J); Håkansson, Stellan (S);

Affiliation: Department of Clinical Bioethics, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.

Grants: T32 PE10018 (Agency:BHP HRSA HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Journal: Pediatrics (Pediatrics), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Jun; vol 117 (issue 6) : pp 1988-95

Dates: Created 2006/06/02; Completed 2006/06/26; Revised 2007/11/14;

PMID: 16740840, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

Comments and Corrections

CommentIn: Pediatrics. 2006 Jun;117(6):2276. (PMID: 16740873)

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