A Scoping Review of Perinatal Palliative Care: Allowing Parents to Be Parents

A Scoping Review of Perinatal Palliative Care: Allowing Parents to Be Parents

Buskmiller C; Calhoun BC

American Journal of Perinatology

2021

congenital; fetal anomaly; life-limiting condition; perinatal hospice; perinatal palliative care; prenatal diagnosis

OBJECTIVE: -Perinatal palliative care (PPC) is an option for patients who discover that their infant has a life-limiting fetal condition, which decreases the burden of the condition using a multidisciplinary approach. STUDY DESIGN: -This review discusses the landmark literature in the past two decades, which have seen significant growth and development in the concept of PPC. RESULTS: -The literature describes the background, quality, and benefits of offering PPC, as well as the ethical principles that support its being offered in every discussion of fetal life-limiting diagnoses. CONCLUSIONS: -PPC shares a similar risk profile to other options after life-limiting diagnosis, including satisfaction with choice of continuation of pregnancy. The present clinical opinion closes by noting common barriers to establishing PPC programs and offers a response to overcome each one. KEY POINTS: · Perinatal palliative care serves patients who continue pregnancies with life-limiting fetal anomaly.. · Perinatal palliative care has a risk profile similar to other options such as termination.. · Health care providers can serve as champions to extend PPC to patients in their region..

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