Infant loss and neonatal death is a common, yet very taboo subject in the United States today. Our society wants to promote the “happy” birth outcomes while sweeping negative outcomes under the rug, to be forgotten, hushed, moved on from quickly. Perinatal palliative and hospice care provides families with options to honor the life of their lost babies. More organizations should implement these programs throughout our country.
Table of Contents
1. Within the U.S
2. The movement toward perinatal hospice
3. Perinatal hospice and palliative care program implementation
4. Opposing viewpoints and future outlook
5. Conclusion
Objectives and Key Themes
The primary objective of this work is to advocate for the widespread implementation of perinatal palliative and hospice care programs across every state in the United States to support families facing fatal fetal diagnoses. The paper explores the necessity of providing clinical, emotional, and supportive resources to parents, enabling them to make informed choices, experience their pregnancy with dignity, and navigate the grieving process effectively.
- The necessity of perinatal hospice as a standard health care model.
- Statistics on infant mortality and the impact of fatal prenatal diagnoses.
- The role of multidisciplinary teams in providing comprehensive family support.
- Overcoming barriers to implementing hospice programs within existing hospital systems.
- The positive impact of informed decision-making on parental grief and closure.
Excerpt from the Book
Perinatal hospice was originally developed as a means to help families who received a fatal or potentially fatal diagnosis of their baby while pregnant.
This model of care allows families to come to terms with grief and loss of a child over time and with the support of clinical staff, allowing them to feel like real parents. By going through the motions of a pregnancy, taking the time to begin the grieving process and by giving dignity to their child’s short life, the unreal situations become an actual process, making the entire journey real to each family.
Adult hospice care began in Great Britain in 1960’s and became more and more available throughout the following decade (Calhoun & Hoeldtke). While the medical field has steadily advanced, the etiquette and manner in which infant loss and families affected by the loss has not. In today’s medical world, prenatal screening is a standard aspect of patient care, so routine that we rarely think of pregnancy without early testing. The advances in technology have allowed for earlier knowledge and therefore less surprises at birth. Families want this chance to experience pregnancy and to give their child what little bit of time that they are afforded. They want to be prepared to say goodbye.
Summary of Chapters
1. Within the U.S: This chapter introduces the concept of perinatal hospice as a model of care that provides guidance and hope to families receiving a fatal diagnosis during pregnancy.
2. The movement toward perinatal hospice: The author details the history, relevant statistics, and the interdisciplinary nature of care required for families experiencing perinatal loss.
3. Perinatal hospice and palliative care program implementation: This section emphasizes that hospital systems should integrate these services into existing medical infrastructures to ensure families receive support locally.
4. Opposing viewpoints and future outlook: The chapter addresses common misconceptions about carrying a pregnancy to term and presents evidence that support programs significantly impact family wellbeing.
5. Conclusion: The author makes a final call to action for the national adoption of perinatal hospice programs to ensure families have dignity, support, and choices.
Keywords
Perinatal hospice, palliative care, infant mortality, fetal diagnosis, grief, bereavement, prenatal screening, pregnancy loss, birth plan, medical ethics, patient support, counseling, terminal diagnosis, infant loss, healthcare model.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this publication?
The work primarily addresses the critical need for perinatal palliative and hospice care programs for families receiving a fatal diagnosis during pregnancy.
What are the primary themes discussed?
Key themes include the emotional support for grieving parents, the integration of hospice models into hospital systems, and the importance of allowing families to choose their path after a fatal diagnosis.
What is the central research goal?
The goal is to demonstrate why every U.S. state should implement perinatal hospice programs to provide families with options, resources, and dignified care.
Which scientific approach is utilized?
The author uses a qualitative approach, combining personal experience as a bereavement doula with an analysis of existing medical literature and current health care statistics.
What content is covered in the main body?
The main body examines the history of the movement, the role of multidisciplinary medical teams, statistics on infant loss, and the counter-arguments regarding grief management.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
The work is characterized by terms such as perinatal hospice, palliative care, infant mortality, bereavement support, and patient advocacy.
Why does the author argue that new buildings are not necessary for these programs?
The author emphasizes that perinatal hospice is a care model that can be incorporated into existing hospital systems and medical centers, focusing on the environment of care rather than physical infrastructure.
How does perinatal hospice affect the choice between termination and carrying to term?
Studies cited in the text suggest that when families are provided with the comprehensive options and support of a perinatal hospice program, the choice to terminate a pregnancy after a fatal diagnosis is significantly lower.
- Citar trabajo
- Natalie Welanetz (Autor), 2015, Need for Perinatal Hospice Within the U.S, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/304702
