Fetal malformation incompatible with life: the conduct of neonatologists
Abstract
To evaluate the behavior of neonatologists in cases of malformation incompatible with life, from intrauterine diagnosis to delivery, and the use of palliative or curative-restorative care at birth, with or without the prior awareness of physicians or parents on fetal infeasibility, we carried out a qualitative research in a Brazilian maternity hospital. From semi-structured interviews and content analysis, we observed that most professionals do not adopt cardiopulmonary resuscitation techniques when the situation is already clear to the parents; that the criteria for palliative care are linked to the confirmation of the syndrome diagnosis, through information to the family; that the parents’ awareness about the disease can influence decision making; and that the establishment of palliative care, if only the physician knows about the fetal infeasibility, in most cases includes due information to parents.
