The hidden emotional and financial cost of keeping severely premature babies alive.
We’ve all seen the media stories - a tiny baby born weeks prematurely is at last well enough to go home with its delighted parents. But for some families there is no happy ending. Advancements in medicine now mean more premature babies under 24 weeks gestation have a better chance of surviving than ever before, but many who do survive face a high likelihood of suffering severe, lifelong disabilities and few parents are fully prepared for the dramatic ethical, medical and financial impact they could face.
The state invests millions of pounds in neonatal care, but once home, parents often face an uphill struggle in caring for a severely disabled child. Doctors and parents face an agonising choice: Is it right to prolong a baby's life at all costs?
In such situations, where should doctors draw the line? Should there be a cut-off point for treatment, where no baby under a certain age is offered intensive care, or should doctors be able to choose which babies they will help to live - and which ones they will leave to die?
