Weighing the Social and Ethical Considerations of Maternal-Fetal Surgery.
Published
Journal Article
OBJECTIVES: The ethics of maternal-fetal surgery involves weighing the importance of potential benefits, risks, and other consequences involving the pregnant woman, fetus, and other family members. We assessed clinicians' ratings of the importance of 9 considerations relevant to maternal-fetal surgery. METHODS: This study was a discrete choice experiment contained within a 2015 national mail-based survey of 1200 neonatologists, pediatric surgeons, and maternal-fetal medicine physicians, with latent class analysis subsequently used to identify groups of physicians with similar ratings. RESULTS: Of 1176 eligible participants, 660 (56%) completed the discrete choice experiment. The highest-ranked consideration was of neonatal benefits, which was followed by consideration of the risk of maternal complications. By using latent class analysis, we identified 4 attitudinal groups with similar patterns of prioritization: "fetocentric" (n = 232), risk-sensitive (n = 197), maternal autonomy (n = 167), and family impact and social support (n = 64). Neonatologists were more likely to be in the fetocentric group, whereas surgeons were more likely to be in the risk-sensitive group, and maternal-fetal medicine physicians made up the largest percentage of the family impact and social support group. CONCLUSIONS: Physicians vary in how they weigh the importance of social and ethical considerations regarding maternal-fetal surgery. Understanding these differences may help prevent or mitigate disagreements or tensions that may arise in the management of these patients.
Full Text
Duke Authors
Cited Authors
- Antiel, RM; Flake, AW; Collura, CA; Johnson, MP; Rintoul, NE; Lantos, JD; Curlin, FA; Tilburt, JC; Brown, SD; Feudtner, C
Published Date
- December 2017
Published In
Volume / Issue
- 140 / 6
PubMed ID
- 29101225
Pubmed Central ID
- 29101225
Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)
- 1098-4275
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
- 10.1542/peds.2017-0608
Language
- eng
Conference Location
- United States