http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15730874/

British guidelines advise against care for babies born before 22 weeks

LONDON - Premature babies born before 22 weeks gestation should not be given intensive care treatment to keep them alive, according to a report released in Britain on Wednesday.

Despite medical advances in prolonging life, the Nuffield Council on Bioethics said the chances of an infant surviving after less than 22 weeks in the womb are very slim and that they often develop severe disabilities.

In guidelines issued to help doctors and parents make difficult decisions about the care of extremely premature infants, the report recommended parents of babies born after 23 should be consulted and have the final say in whether intensive care is given to their baby.

“Natural instincts are to try to save all babies, even if the baby’s chances of survival are low,” said Professor Margaret Brazier who chaired the committee that produced the report.

“However, we don’t think it is always right to put a baby through the stress and pain of invasive treatment if the baby is unlikely to get better and death is inevitable.”

The report by the independent body that examines ethical issues raised by new development in medicine was released after two years of research. It stressed euthanasia of newborn babies should not be allowed.

Clear distinctions
Religious leaders in Britain welcomed the report saying it sets a clear distinction between interventions to cause death and decisions to withdraw or withhold treatment if it is thought to be futile.

“This reaffirms the validity of existing law prohibiting euthanasia, and upholds the vital and fundamental moral principle that the deliberate taking of innocent human life is always gravely wrong,” the Church of England House of Bishops and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales said in a joint statement.

They added that doctors do not have an overriding obligation to prolong life by all available means and said every case should be judged on its merits.

The report said it should be normal practice to give intensive care to babies born between 24-25 weeks gestation unless it is agreed by the doctors and the parents that there is no hope of the infant surviving or that the level of suffering would be too great.

Babies born after more than 25 weeks in the womb have a high chance of survival and a low risk of suffering from disabilities.

Dr. Tony Calland, chairman of the medical ethics committee at the British Medical Association (BMA) said the guidelines issued in the report echo existing best practice.

But the BMA did not agree with stringent cut-off points for treatment and stressed that each case should be assessed independently.

“The BMA is opposed to euthanasia and therefore we agree that the active ending of life of newborn babies should not be allowed,” Calland said in a statement.

Although the number of premature babies surviving has been increasing since the 1980s, only about 1 percent of infants born between 22 and 23 weeks gestation survive to leave hospital, according to the report.

“We believe that the guidelines will help parents and doctors to make decisions in these very traumatic situations,” Brazier added.
Copyright 2006 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters.

All I know is I would want them to do everything possible to save my baby.

Edited to add that I honestly feel it's one of those situations where on the outside it looks cut and dried. The real test comes when that situation is staring me in the face.

All I know is I would want them to do everything possible to save my baby.

Edited to add that I honestly feel it's one of those situations where on the outside it looks cut and dried. The real test comes when that situation is staring me in the face.


AMEN

All I know is I would want them to do everything possible to save my baby.

Edited to add that I honestly feel it's one of those situations where on the outside it looks cut and dried. The real test comes when that situation is staring me in the face.

:agree

well again my opinion on this is
I have to agree with them for the most part. My sister delivered Triplets at 24 weeks. The biggest one was 1lb 4 oz. She was at Duke university the best place that she and her babies could get care. The care they recieved only bought her 2 days with 2 of her girls and 3 days with the other. They started out basically lying to her and telling her that they had a very good chance. But my sister told them she wanted the truth and that she knew it couldn't be as good as they were making out. She wanted to know all of the risks, what the kids would endure etc...... Had the kids lived they would have had major health issues for the rest of thier lives. I don't think most people are capable of handling a kids with those kinds of needs. Yes people do and a lot of people pawn them off on others, So yeah in a way I agree with what they are saying cause that hospital fought to save my neices but even the best medical technology couldn't do it.

well again my opinion on this is
I have to agree with them for the most part. My sister delivered Triplets at 24 weeks. The biggest one was 1lb 4 oz. She was at Duke university the best place that she and her babies could get care. The care they recieved only bought her 2 days with 2 of her girls and 3 days with the other. They started out basically lying to her and telling her that they had a very good chance. But my sister told them she wanted the truth and that she knew it couldn't be as good as they were making out. She wanted to know all of the risks, what the kids would endure etc...... Had the kids lived they would have had major health issues for the rest of thier lives. I don't think most people are capable of handling a kids with those kinds of needs. Yes people do and a lot of people pawn them off on others, So yeah in a way I agree with what they are saying cause that hospital fought to save my neices but even the best medical technology couldn't do it.

:sadeyes

If it were my child I'd want them to save them no matter what! I know my cousin's baby was dead when she delivered because she'd strangled herself with the cord but if they found it soon enough and had to deliver her to save her I'd hope they'd have done all they could. She was 22 weeks along :(

all i am going to say is.... "unless/until you have to deal with possiblites like severe disabilites or death, you dont know how you would feel about."

i know i went the total opposite direction than i thought i would.

That is really sad!! I dont know if I agree with it or disagree, Most babies that would be born that early would have alot of developmental issues and alot of people cant handle that. But I dont know if I could give up on my baby!

I wouldn't never give up! My Baby would only be here on the earth for as long as god has intended wheither it be for 2 days or 100 yrs.

I wouldn't never give up! My Baby would only be here on the earth for as long as god has intended wheither it be for 2 days or 100 yrs.

but see... medicine is taking over what God intended.... with no medical help, there is no way a baby born that early would survive.

God allowed medicine to be made so it can be used. If all means are exsausted then it was meant to be. IMO

God allowed medicine to be made so it can be used. If all means are exsausted then it was meant to be. IMO

:agree

God allowed medicine to be made so it can be used. If all means are exsausted then it was meant to be. IMO

No, man allowed medicine....

Gods "allows" murder, rape, incest.... they are all man made.

IMHO, having faced this reality.... to me, it's pretty selfish to want your child to survive with SEVERE disabilites and pain. Just so you (general you) have more time.

No, man allowed medicine....

Gods "allows" murder, rape, incest.... they are all man made.

IMHO, having faced this reality.... to me, it's pretty selfish to want your child to survive with SEVERE disabilites and pain. Just so you (general you) have more time.

very well said Donna
and I seriously think my sister would have coped better had they died instantly or shortly there after than to hav 2 and 3 days to cling on to hope.
Yeah they are only my nieces but I have a place in my heart cause they were 3 I will never meet. We barely made it home intime for the funeral. My sister is very strong and through everything she has been through, Car accidents that kept her in a hospital for months at a time, Cancer, the loss of her 3 kids, etc..... She is slowly breaking down I honestly don't think she could have dealt with 3 kids with major disabilities. They too are very religious and obviously GOD didn't intend for her to have to endure the hardship of raising 3 kids with those disabilities

And why would any mother want their child to "suffer" just so that they can live.
that is just like the lady on the feeding tube in FL. that was selfish of her parents!

:no That's just heart breaking. What's the difference between a little baby that might not have good odds, and a 50 year old man with cancer that may not live through treatment? The 50 year old man has a chance to speak up and choose whether he wants to be treated and have a fighting chance, the baby doesn't!

It's not fair to say that a baby doesn't deserve the same level of treatment as an older person. :no

:no That's just heart breaking. What's the difference between a little baby that might not have good odds, and a 50 year old man with cancer that may not live through treatment? The 50 year old man has a chance to speak up and choose whether he wants to be treated and have a fighting chance, the baby doesn't!

It's not fair to say that a baby doesn't deserve the same level of treatment as an older person. :no

in that same breath.... the 50 yr old man can say he doesnt want treatment.

in that same breath.... the 50 yr old man can say he doesnt want treatment.

You're right. That's what I said.

I know there are circumstances when those babies won't make it. And their quality of life would be pretty bad. But that's not always the case, and if it's possible they deserve a fighting chance. Doctors don't know everything.

Michelle you are right but a lot of times depending on the 50 yrolds health the dr will say we don't recommend it (treatment) for you.

Michelle you are right but a lot of times depending on the 50 yrolds health the dr will say we don't recommend it (treatment) for you.

:yes You're right. Which is why I understand it for some babies, but not all.

No, man allowed medicine....

Gods "allows" murder, rape, incest.... they are all man made.

IMHO, having faced this reality.... to me, it's pretty selfish to want your child to survive with SEVERE disabilites and pain. Just so you (general you) have more time.


Yes I do believe man allowed medicine with the help of God. Look at all the people alive today that wouldnt be here today without.. sick children, etc.

Yes I do believe man allowed medicine with the help of God. Look at all the people alive today that wouldnt be here today without.. sick children, etc.

and you know what.... i still have my son because of medicine. but it was because of the "magic" of medicine, I almost lost him too.

just because the technology is there, doesnt give us the right to play God either. my cousin had twins at 24 weeks. through the 7 years of thier lives, she wishes now that she hadnt pushed for "do whatever you have to". her kids live on oxygen. they cant talk, walk, communicate in anyway. she now has to live with the guilt that she had to have them with her, alive. she blames herself for the condition that they are in. it's not a life for anyone, let alone a child.

Well doctors are human. Things can go terribly wrong.. but with medicine we sure lead much more healthy lives. Yes you had something terrible that happened with your son... but you still have him.

but see... medicine is taking over what God intended.... with no medical help, there is no way a baby born that early would survive.

I agree with DONNA! A baby is a gift! Give God a chance were is God in all of this!

If anyone wants to use the let God help in this... A thought.. What about people that use medicine to concieve a baby or fertilization through medical help? Do we pick and choose where we want to have medical help?

Thankfully we get to choose!

Faith was born at 21 weeks and the doctor who delivered her wanted to try and save her but i was told by 6 other doctors she wouldn't make it.. This situation always tears me apart inside... But after going through "letting" your child die.. i will now fight for however long it takes to help my child even if it ends up she wouldn't make it. Cause then i know i did everything i could do to save her and i wouldn't feel this guilt like i do now. I did everything i could to save Savannah because i was told many times she wasn't going to make it. AND i almost gave birth to her at 23 weeks... Thank God i didn't...

But after going through "letting" your child die.. i will now fight for however long it takes to help my child even if it ends up she wouldn't make it. Cause then i know i did everything i could do to save her and i wouldn't feel this guilt like i do now.

I see what you are saying, but do you think if your child was suffering now - can't walk, talk, is on oxygen all day like someone else mentioned - do you think you wouldn't feel just as guilty?

it's a horrible situation to be in and any decision will cause pain, because the "what ifs" can drive you insane. having not been in the situation, i don't know how i would feel. i wouldn't want my child to suffer but how do i know how it will end up?

I honestly couldn't say what'd I do if I were faced with that kind of choice....I think it's definitely a situation that you would have to be in to say how you would act.
I mean, on the one hand, if my child were born that early and were to survive with severe disabilities, what kind of quality of life would she/he have? I know I wouldn't be able to handle a disabled child
But on the other hand, it's your CHILD....your natural instinct is to want to protect him/her and preserve his/her life at all costs.

But I think there's a fine line between knowing when to let go, and knowing when to keep going....

I honestly don't know what I'd do.

Just because a baby makes it full term, doesn't mean it will survive. My cousin's son died inutero at 39 weeks for no good reason.

No, man allowed medicine....

Gods "allows" murder, rape, incest.... they are all man made.

IMHO, having faced this reality.... to me, it's pretty selfish to want your child to survive with SEVERE disabilites and pain. Just so you (general you) have more time.

I very much agree with you Donna. :agree

Well God also wants us to help ourselves. He helps those who help themselves. If me wanting to help my child survive be against God then how can i want my husband to go get fixed. That too than would be against God. And if i get pregnant again horrible things could happen. Look, many children have disabilities and they are the best children anyone could ask for. Who are we to say they are not in a better position than we are.

I understand how everyone feels about this but endless you have had an extreme preemie it's almost pointless to talk about this. Opinons are great! Everyone should have one... But no one knows what it's like endless you have been there.

I wouldn't want a child to have to suffer all of their life because I was selfish. I don't think I could stand to see my tiny baby in so much pain. It would be a very tough decision but I think I would let him/her go peacefully.

that is rediculous, how could you willingly not save a child

I would NEVER EVER give up on my child. EVER. Call me selfish, call me what you will. If they don't make it, then they don't make it. But if you don't try, how would you know whether they would have or not?

I can't even count on one hand how many moms of micropreemies I know who have delivered babies that were between 1-2 lbs and these babies survived! I can not imagine the guilt I would live with if I had a preemie baby and didn't even bother to try saving him or her :no Full term babies can be and are born with severe disabilities all the time. I wouldn't just deliver a baby at 39 weeks and say "oh, I give up" because the child is disabled. I feel it's my right as a mom to do whatever possible to make sure they have the best shot possible.

I don't believe in God but I do believe in miracles and hope. I would never give up hope.

In my situation with Faith, my daughter. I didn't do any modern med to save her. Just by looking at hear and her brusing and the blood building up in her head I decided to let her go. But there isn't a day that goes by that i wonder if there was anything i could have done. My little tiny baby girl lived and suffered for an hour and ten minutes.. She was gasping for air and i "let" her go. It was and still is the worst, most horrible pain anyone can keep on their shoulders.. Who is to say she would have lived and who is to say she would have died.. But i didn't give her the chance.. I should have tried no matter the outcome. But i didn't want her in pain at all! It was a horrid situation! And the only thing i can do is from here on out, try like hell and fight hard to do anything for my children to survive.