Published online June 1, 2006
PEDIATRICS Vol. 117 No. 6 June 2006, pp. 1988-1995 (doi:10.1542/peds.2005-1885)
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Delivery Room Decision-Making for Extremely Preterm Infants in Sweden

Jehanna M. Peerzada, MD, MPHa, Jens Schollin, MDb and Stellan Håkansson, MDc

a Department of Clinical Bioethics, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
b Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital, Örebro, Sweden
c Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital, Umeå, Sweden

OBJECTIVE. To assess neonatologists' attitudes and practices regarding treatment of extremely preterm infants in the delivery room, particularly in response to parental wishes.

STUDY DESIGN. Cross-sectional survey of all neonatologists in Sweden registered with the Swedish Pediatric Society.

RESULTS. The response rate was 71% (88 of 124 neonatologists). At 24[1/7] to 24[6/7] weeks of gestation, 68% of neonatologists considered treatment clearly beneficial; at 25[1/7] to 25[6/7] weeks of gestation, 93% considered it clearly beneficial. When respondents consider treatment clearly beneficial, 97% reported that they would resuscitate in the delivery room despite parental requests to withhold treatment. At or below 23[0/7] weeks of gestation, 94% of neonatologists considered treatment futile. Nineteen percent reported that they would provide what they consider futile treatment at parental request. When respondents consider treatment to be of uncertain benefit, 99% reported that they would resuscitate when parents request it, 99% reported that they would resuscitate when parents are unsure, and 25% reported that they would follow parental requests to withhold treatment.

CONCLUSION. Although neonatologists' attitudes and practices varied, respondents to our survey in general envisioned little parental role in delivery room decision-making for extremely preterm infants.

Key Words: prematurity • neonatal intensive care • ethics • extremely low birth weight

Accepted Dec 15, 2005.


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