An ethical rationale for perinatal palliative care

Perinatal palliative care has grown out of both an historical necessity in attending to babies in the NICU that face difficult odds of survival, the increasing technology that may avail life-extending, yet technology-dependent, care, and the growth of fetal diagnostic and treatment centers. This review looks ta the history and ethical rationale for making available services from Pediatric and Perinatal Palliative Care to families in the prenatal and postnatal periods caring for a loved one with life-limiting circumstances. (c) 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Perinatal palliative care has developed due to the historical necessity of attending to NICU babies with low odds of survival, the increasing use of life-extending but technology-dependent care, and the growth of fetal diagnostic and treatment centers. This review examines the history and ethical justification of providing Pediatric and Perinatal Palliative Care services to families caring for a loved one with life-limiting conditions in both the prenatal and postnatal periods.