[Accompanying babies to death after late termination of pregnancy]

When feticide, necessary within the framework of late termination of pregnancy, cannot be achieved before delivery for medical reasons or because the act is refused by the parents, we propose as an alternative, to accompany the baby to death in the neonatology unit. This approach can be seen as palliative care despite the ethical and legal issues it raises. It can be an appropriate response to the parents' distress when moral and religious beliefs are contradicted by medical reality. This situation remains exceptional and must be envisaged case by case. The decision to institute the principle of accompanying babies to death was made after open discussion conducted for many years among neonatologists. The final decision cannot however be made until the obstetrical and pediatric teams have reached a sufficient degree of reciprocal confidence.