Extreme Prematurity: Practice, Bioethics and the Law

Extreme Prematurity examines the controversial issues surrounding the clinical management of this group of neonates by the intervention of modern neonatal intensive care. The foregoing of life-sustaining treatment is of particular importance. The subject matter is very relevant because of the alarming increase in multiple and preterm births, due to the increase in women who are undergoing assisted reproductive procedures, and the large increase in premature labor. No recent book covers the subject in such comparable breadth.

The first section of this very timely monograph covers the epidemiology and practices in different parts of the world; the second section covers bioethics considerations, including ethical theories, moral principles and quality of life issues; the third section covers national and international guidelines; the last section covers medical law aspects in the US and around the world.

• The only book available that examines the controversial issues surrounding the clinical management of extreme premature neonates, many of which are caused by the increasing use of assisted reproductive procedures
• The author reviews both the epidemiology and practices, and the bioethics considerations of this problem on a country by country basis
• He includes a section on current national and international guidelines that cover the care of this class of patients