Bioethics of Translating Limited Evidence into Clinical Practice: Case Study of the Cerebroplacental Ratio

Bioethics can help address the challenges of translating research into clinical practice in the twenty-first century. The cerebroplacental ratio in obstetrical ultrasound provides a case study of how bioethical principles can help advance practical approaches when evidence is limited. This can help clinicians use cerebroplacental ratio when additional risk factors are present in critical cases that warrant increased surveillance; disclose limited information appropriately; allocate resources; and weigh benefits against risks. Balancing the key ethical principles of respect for autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice within this context illuminates how bioethics can assist health care providers as well as help set a research agenda. Such analyses are essential to improving clinical care, given the rapid pace at which medicine is evolving.