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Rights of the newborn and end-of-life decisions

Hercília Guimarães1, Gustavo Rocha, Carlo Bellieni

  • 1Faculty of Medicine, São João Hospital, Porto University, Porto, Portugal. herciliaguimaraes@gmail.com

The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine : the Official Journal of the European Association of Perinatal Medicine, the Federation of Asia and Oceania Perinatal Societies, the International Society of Perinatal Obstetricians
|March 1, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Neonatal survival has improved, but end-of-life decisions for newborns with poor prognosis remain ethically complex. Compassionate, family-centered palliative care in the NICU is essential for upholding a newborn

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Medical Ethics
  • Palliative Care

Background:

  • Advances in perinatal medicine have significantly increased neonatal survival rates.
  • End-of-life decision-making for newborns facing adverse prognoses presents complex ethical challenges.
  • Newborns possess inherent rights, necessitating societal obligations and responsibilities from healthcare professionals and institutions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To address the ethical controversies surrounding end-of-life care for neonates.
  • To emphasize the rights of newborns, including the right to life with dignity.
  • To advocate for the integration of family-centered neonatal palliative care.

Main Methods:

  • Ethical analysis of neonatal end-of-life decision-making.
  • Review of societal and professional obligations towards newborns.
  • Discussion of best practices in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) palliative care.

Main Results:

  • Neonatal survival has improved, yet ethical dilemmas persist.
  • Newborns have rights that require societal enforcement.
  • Current practices necessitate a focus on dignified end-of-life care.

Conclusions:

  • Every newborn deserves a life with dignity.
  • Family-centered, compassionate end-of-life care is a mandatory aspect of optimal neonatal palliative care.
  • Healthcare systems must enforce the rights and ensure the dignity of all newborns.

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