Parental preferences for neonatal resuscitation research consent: a pilot study

Area of Science:

• Neonatal research ethics
• Informed consent procedures
• Perinatal care

Background:

• Obtaining informed consent for neonatal resuscitation research presents significant ethical challenges.
• Parental preferences for consent methods in this sensitive area are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate parental preferences for various hypothetical informed consent procedures in neonatal resuscitation research.
• To identify optimal methods for obtaining consent in this specific research context.

Main Methods:

• A mail-out survey questionnaire was distributed to parents receiving obstetrical or neonatal care at a tertiary perinatal center.
• Participants rated their comfort levels (1-6 Likert scale) with different consent methods in hypothetical neonatal resuscitation research scenarios.

Main Results:

• Parents prioritized the potential impact of research on their baby and positive physician interaction.
• Prospective consent during prenatal classes or physician visits was preferred over consent upon hospital admission.
• Waived, deferred, or opt-out consent methods were consistently uncomfortable for parents.

Conclusions:

• This pilot study highlights parental preferences for prenatal information and consent in neonatal resuscitation research.
• Limitations include a low response rate and potentially skewed demographics, affecting generalizability.
• Further interview studies with a representative population are recommended to refine understanding of parental informed consent preferences.