Saving very premature babies : key ethical issues / Pauline Challinor Mifflin.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Mifflin, Pauline Challinor.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Premature infants.

Neonatal intensive care--Moral and ethical aspects.

Neonatal intensive care.

Infant, Premature.

Intensive Care, Neonatal--ethics.

Neonatology--ethics.

Value of Life.

Medical Subjects:

Infant, Premature.

Intensive Care, Neonatal--ethics.

Neonatology--ethics.

Value of Life.

Physical Description:

246 pages ; 22 cm

Place of Publication:

Edinburgh ; New York : Books for Midwives, [2003]

Summary:

Rapid advances in neonatal technology, when used to save the lives of very premature babies, have created many new ethical issues for both parents and medical professionals. On the one hand, new hope has been given to many parents whose babies would previously have died; on the other hand, many of the children who survive suffer some neurological damage -- and even profound and multiple disabilities. This can create unforeseen problems for the child, its family and society in terms of future medical, social and educational provision. Saving Very Premature Babies has been written specifically with these new ethical issues in mind. Using real life case studies, Pauline Mifflin examines the ethical and legal dilemmas faced by midwives, doctors and parents when deciding what is in the best interests of the child. She also looks at the conflicts surrounding the allocation of dwindling NHS resources, and the difficult decisions that often have to be made. This is a book about medical ethics, specifically concerned with the way in which modern technology is used to save babies born before 24 weeks' gestation. The dilemmas faced by parents and health care professionals are rarely aired in open debate; this book attempts to confront these issues.

Contents:

Part 1 The impact of prematurity on the child and family 7

2. Background and context of neonatal intensive care 9

4. The child and its family 29

5. Counselling and care: support for parents and staff 47

Part 2 The legal and ethical framework 57

Part 3 The sanctity of life 105

8. The value of life 107

9. Personhood 127

10. The slippery slope argument 147

Part 4 Should the baby live? 153

11. Withholding and withdrawing treatment 155

12. Abortion, infanticide and neonaticide 173

13. Life and death decisions: who should make them? 181

Part 5 The issue of justice and resources 195

14. The impact on society of saving very premature babies 197.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 237-241) and index.

ISBN:

0750654120

OCLC:

53013755