The role of perinatal palliative care following prenatal diagnosis of major, incurable fetal anomalies: a multicentre prospective cohort study

The role of perinatal palliative care following prenatal diagnosis of major, incurable fetal anomalies: a multicentre prospective cohort study

de Barbeyrac C; Roth P; Noël C; Anselem O; Gaudin A; Roumegoux C; Azcona B; Castel C; Noret M; Letamendia E; Stirnemann J; Ville Y; Lapillonne A; Viallard ML; Kermorvant-Duchemin E

Bjog

2021

advance care planning; fetal anomaly; incurable anomaly; life-limiting fetal diagnosis; perinatal palliative care

OBJECTIVE: To describe prenatal decision-making processes and birth plans in pregnancies amenable to planning perinatal palliative care. DESIGN: Multicentre prospective observational study. SETTING: Nine Multidisciplinary Centres for Prenatal Diagnosis of the Paris-Ile-de-France region. POPULATION: All cases of major and incurable fetal anomaly where limitation of life-sustaining treatments for the neonate was discussed in the prenatal period between 2015 and 2016. METHODS: Cases of congenital defects amenable to perinatal palliative care were prospectively included in each centre. Prenatal diagnosis, decision-making process, type of birth plan, birth characteristics, pregnancy and neonatal outcome were collected prospectively and anonymously. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Final decision reached following discussions in the antenatal period. RESULTS: We identified 736 continuing pregnancies with a diagnosis of a severe fetal condition eligible for TOP. Perinatal palliative care was considered in 102/736 (13.9%) pregnancies (106 infants); discussions were multidisciplinary in 99/106 (93.4%) cases. Prenatal birth plans involved life-sustaining treatment limitation and comfort care in 73/736 (9.9%) of the pregnancies. The main reason for planning palliative care at birth was short-term inevitable death in 39 cases (53.4%). 76/106 (71.7%) infants were born alive. 18/106 (17%) infants were alive at last follow-up, including 4 with a perinatal palliative care birth plan. CONCLUSIONS: Only a small proportion of severe and incurable fetal disorders were potentially amenable to limitation of life-sustaining interventions. Perinatal palliative care may not be considered as an universal alternative to termination of pregnancy.

Article information provided for research and reference use only. PedPalASCNET does not hold any rights over the resource listed here. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).

December 2021 List