Neonatal and perinatal palliative care pathway: a tertiary neonatal unit approach. 2021

Abena N Akyempon, and Narendra Aladangady
Neonatology, Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.

A lack of well-structured guideline or care pathway results in inadequate, inconsistent and fragmented palliative care (PC) for babies and their families. The impact on the families could be emotionally and psychologically distressing. Not all neonatal units have specialist PC clinicians or teams, and such units will benefit from a well-planned perinatal PC pathway. In this article, we discuss a tertiary neonatal unit perinatal care pathway which provides guidance from the point of diagnosis and establishment of eligibility of a baby for PC through to care after death and bereavement support for families. Planning PC with families which encourages family-centred and individualised approach is also discussed.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007223 Infant A child between 1 and 23 months of age. Infants
D007231 Infant, Newborn An infant during the first 28 days after birth. Neonate,Newborns,Infants, Newborn,Neonates,Newborn,Newborn Infant,Newborn Infants
D010166 Palliative Care Care alleviating symptoms without curing the underlying disease. (Stedman, 25th ed) Palliative Treatment,Palliative Supportive Care,Palliative Surgery,Palliative Therapy,Surgery, Palliative,Therapy, Palliative,Care, Palliative,Palliative Treatments,Supportive Care, Palliative,Treatment, Palliative,Treatments, Palliative
D011247 Pregnancy The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH. Gestation,Pregnancies
D002648 Child A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL. Children
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013727 Terminal Care Medical and nursing care of patients in the terminal stage of an illness. End-Of-Life Care,End of Life Care,Care, End-Of-Life,Care, Terminal,End-Of-Life Cares
D018743 Perinatal Care The care of women and a fetus or newborn given before, during, and after delivery from the 28th week of gestation through the 7th day after delivery. Care, Perinatal
D019091 Critical Pathways Schedules of medical and nursing procedures, including diagnostic tests, medications, and consultations designed to effect an efficient, coordinated program of treatment. (From Mosby's Medical, Nursing & Allied Health Dictionary, 4th ed) Care Map,Care Pathways,Clinical Pathways,Clinical Paths,Critical Paths,Care Pathway,Clinical Path,Clinical Pathway,Critical Path,Critical Pathway,Map, Care,Maps, Care,Path, Clinical,Path, Critical,Pathway, Care,Pathway, Clinical,Pathway, Critical

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