Diverse perspectives on death, disability, and quality of life: an exploratory study of racial differences in periviable decision-making

Variability of Care Practices for Extremely Early Deliveries

OBJECTIVES

Assess temporal changes, intercenter variability, and birthing person (BP) factors relating to interventions for extremely early deliveries.

METHODS

Retrospective study of BPs and newborns delivered from 22-24 completed weeks at 13 US centers from 2011-2020. Rates of neonatology consultation, antenatal corticosteroids, cesarean delivery, live birth, attempted resuscitation (AR), and survival were assessed by epoch, center, and gestational age.

RESULTS

2028 BPs delivering 2327 newborns were included. Rates increased in epoch 2-at 22 weeks: neonatology consultation (37.6 vs 64.3%, P < .001), corticosteroids (11.4 vs 29.5%, P < .001), live birth (66.2 vs 78.6%, P < .001), AR (20.1 vs 36.9%, P < .001), overall survival (3.0 vs 8.9%, P = .005); and at 23 weeks: neonatology consultation (73.0 vs 80.5%, P = .02), corticosteroids (63.7 vs 83.7%, P < .001), cesarean delivery (28.0 vs 44.7%, P < .001), live birth (88.1 vs 95.1%, P < .001), AR (67.7 vs 85.2%, P < .001), survival (28.8 vs 41.6%, P < .001). Over time, intercenter variability increased at 22 weeks for corticosteroids (interquartile range 18.0 vs 42.0, P = .014) and decreased at 23 for neonatology consultation (interquartile range 23.0 vs 5.2, P = .045). In BP-level multivariate analysis, AR was associated with increasing gestational age and birth weight, Black BP race, previous premature delivery, and delivery center.

CONCLUSIONS

Intervention rates for extremely early newborns increased and intercenter variability changed over time. In BP-level analysis, factors significantly associated with AR included Black BP race, previous premature delivery, and center.

Ecological predictors of cultural competence among nurses in the neonatal intensive care unit: A cross-sectional descriptive study

Active migration and globalization have led to increased opportunities for critical care nurses to care for patients from diverse racial and cultural backgrounds. This study thus aimed to identify the individual, interpersonal, and organizational factors affecting cultural competence levels among neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurses based on an ecological model. This was a cross-sectional descriptive study that included 135 NICU nurses in South Korea. A hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis was conducted using the proposed ecological model, and a regression model for each of the four subdomains of cultural competence was constructed and compared. NICU nurses' cultural competencies were influenced not only by the "necessity of multicultural education" and "ethnocultural empathy" at the individual level but by the "hospital's readiness and support for cultural competencies" at the organizational level. To promote the cultural competence of nurses in critical care settings, environmental and organizational support should be improved, along with developing strategies that focus on nurses' individual characteristics. It is also necessary to investigate the "intersectionality" of the effects of individual and environmental factors on cultural competence.

Perspectives of extremely prematurely born adults on what to consider in prenatal decision-making: a qualitative focus group study

OBJECTIVE

A shared decision-making (SDM) approach is recommended for prenatal decisions at the limit of viability, with a guiding role for parental values. People born extremely premature experience the consequences of the decision made, but information about their perspectives on prenatal decisions is lacking. Therefore, this study aims to describe their perspectives on what is important in decision-making at the limit of viability.

DESIGN

Semi-structured focus group discussions were conducted, recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data were independently analysed by two researchers in Atlas.ti.

RESULTS

Four focus groups were conducted in the Netherlands, with five to six participants each, born between 240/7 and 300/7 weeks gestation in the period between 1965 and 2002. Considering their personal life experiences and how their extremely premature birth affected their families, the participants reflected on decision-making at the limit of viability. Various considerations were discussed and summarised into the following themes: anticipated parental regret, the wish to look at the baby directly after birth, to give the infant a chance at survival, quality of life, long-term outcomes for the infant and the family, and religious or spiritual considerations.

CONCLUSIONS

Insights into the perspectives of adults born extremely premature deepened our understanding of values considered in decision-making at the limit of viability. Results point out the need for a more individualised prediction of the prognosis and more extensive information on the lifelong impact of an extremely premature birth on both the infant and the family. This could help future parents and healthcare professionals in value-laden decision-making.

Maternal Migration Background and Mortality Among Infants Born Extremely Preterm

Importance

Extremely preterm infants require care provided in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) to survive. In the Netherlands, a decision is made regarding active treatment between 24 weeks 0 days and 25 weeks 6 days after consultation with the parents.

Objective

To investigate the association between maternal migration background and admissions to NICUs and mortality within the first year among extremely preterm infants.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cross-sectional study linked data of registered births in the Netherlands with household-level income tax records and municipality and mortality registers. Eligible participants were households with live births at 24 weeks 0 days to 25 weeks 6 days gestation between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2017. Data linkage and analysis was performed from March 1, 2020, to June 30, 2023.

Exposure

Maternal migration background, defined as no migration background vs first- or second-generation migrant mother.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Admissions to NICUs and mortality within the first week, month, and year of life. Logistic regressions were estimated adjusted for year of birth, maternal age, parity, household income, sex, gestational age, multiple births, and small for gestational age. NICU-specific fixed effects were also included.

Results

Among 1405 live births (768 male [54.7%], 546 [38.9%] with maternal migration background), 1243 (88.5%) were admitted to the NICU; 490 of 546 infants (89.7%) born to mothers with a migration background vs 753 of 859 infants (87.7%) born to mothers with no migration background were admitted to NICU (fully adjusted RR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.99-1.08). A total of 652 live-born infants (46.4%) died within the first year of life. In the fully adjusted model, infants born to mothers with a migration background had lower risk of mortality within the first week (RR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.66-0.99), month (RR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.72-0.97), and year of life (RR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.75-0.96) compared with infants born to mothers with no migration background.

Conclusions

In this nationally representative cross-sectional study, infants born to mothers with a migration background at 24 weeks 0 days to 25 weeks 6 days of gestation in the Netherlands had lower risk of mortality within the first year of life than those born to mothers with no migration background, a result that was unlikely to be explained by mothers from different migration backgrounds attending different NICUs or differential preferences for active obstetric management across migration backgrounds. Further research is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms driving these disparities, including parental preferences for active care of extremely preterm infants.

A scoping review of parental values during prenatal decisions about treatment options after extremely premature birth

AIM

To describe what is known in the literature about parental perspectives in making prenatal decisions regarding treatment after birth at the limit of viability, as a better understanding of parental values can help professionals support parents as they decide.

METHODS

PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Web of Science were searched to identify relevant literature from 1 January 2010 to 22 April 2022 on parental decision making. Data were extracted from selected studies and organised into themes. The final themes were formed through collaboration with the parents of a premature infant born at 24 weeks.

RESULTS

Of the 15,159 papers examined, 17 were included. Parental perspectives were described in terms of long-term outcomes for the infant, survival, protection against the burden of neonatal treatment, long-term impact on the family, religion and spiritual beliefs, to do everything possible, hope, sense of responsibility, wanting the best, doing what is right, giving a chance and the influence of experience.

CONCLUSION

The extracted parental perspectives show the complexity of these decisions. Some perspectives were clear, but others were multi-interpretable. Increasing the understanding of common parental perspectives can help improve shared prenatal decisions and lead to further improvement and personalisation of the process.

Patient Decisions Regarding Fetal Monitoring in the Periviable Period and Perinatal and Maternal Outcomes

OBJECTIVE

Management of delivery at periviable gestation requires complex counseling and decision making, including difficult choices about monitoring and potential cesarean delivery (CD) for fetal benefit. Our objective was to characterize decisions that patients make regarding fetal monitoring and potential CD for fetal benefit when delivering in the periviable period, and associations with perinatal and obstetric outcomes. We hypothesize that a significant number of patients forgo monitoring and potential CD for fetal benefit in the periviable period when offered the opportunity to do so.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study of nonanomalous singleton pregnancies delivering between 23^0/7 and 25^6/7 weeks at a tertiary care center from 2015 to 2020 as based on our institutional clinical practice. Since 2015, these patients are offered the ability to accept or decline fetal monitoring, potential CD for fetal benefit, and active resuscitation of a liveborn neonate. The frequency of patients desiring potential CD for fetal benefit was identified, and associations with CD and intrapartum demise were analyzed.

RESULTS

Fifty subjects were included. Seventy-eight percent (n = 39) desired monitoring and potential CD for fetal benefit, and 84% (n = 42) desired resuscitation if the neonate was born alive. This varied by gestational age: 55% (6/11) of patients delivering between 23^0/7 and 23^6/7 weeks desired fetal monitoring and potential CD for fetal benefit, while 90% (19/21) of patients delivering between 25^0/7 and 25^6/7 weeks desired fetal monitoring and potential CD for fetal benefit (p = 0.02). Sixty-nine percent of pregnancies in which potential CD for fetal benefit was desired resulted in CD (27/39), of which 85% were classical (23/27). Intrapartum fetal demise occurred in 45% (5/11) of pregnancies in which monitoring was not performed.

CONCLUSION

While a majority of patients delivering between 23^0/7 and 25^6/7 weeks desired monitoring and potential CD for fetal benefit, this varied significantly by gestational age. The decision to perform monitoring and potential CD for fetal benefit was associated with a high frequency of CD, while the decision to forgo monitoring was associated with high frequency of intrapartum demise.

KEY POINTS

· Patients desires vary in the setting of periviable delivery.. · Periviable monitoring is associated with cesarean delivery.. · Forgoing monitoring is associated with intrapartum demise..

Trends in Active Treatment of Live-born Neonates Between 22 Weeks 0 Days and 25 Weeks 6 Days by Gestational Age and Maternal Race and Ethnicity in the US, 2014 to 2020

IMPORTANCE

Birth in the periviable period between 22 weeks 0 days and 25 weeks 6 days' gestation is a major source of neonatal morbidity and mortality, and the decision to initiate active life-saving treatment is challenging.

OBJECTIVE

To assess whether the frequency of active treatment among live-born neonates in the periviable period has changed over time and whether active treatment differed by gestational age at birth and race and ethnicity.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

Serial cross-sectional descriptive study using National Center for Health Statistics natality data from 2014 to 2020 for 61 908 singleton live births without clinical anomalies between 22 weeks 0 days and 25 weeks 6 days in the US.

EXPOSURES

Year of delivery, gestational age at birth, and race and ethnicity of the pregnant individual, stratified as non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic/Latina, and non-Hispanic White.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Active treatment, determined by whether there was an attempt to treat the neonate and defined as a composite of surfactant therapy, immediate assisted ventilation at birth, assisted ventilation more than 6 hours in duration, and/or antibiotic therapy. Frequencies, mean annual percent change (APC), and adjusted risk ratios (aRRs) were estimated.

RESULTS

Of 26 986 716 live births, 61 908 (0.2%) were periviable live births included in this study: 5% were Asian/Pacific Islander, 37% Black, 24% Hispanic, and 34% White; and 14% were born at 22 weeks, 21% at 23 weeks, 30% at 24 weeks, and 34% at 25 weeks. Fifty-two percent of neonates received active treatment. From 2014 to 2020, the overall frequency (mean APC per year) of active treatment increased significantly (3.9% [95% CI, 3.0% to 4.9%]), as well as among all racial and ethnic subgroups (Asian/Pacific Islander: 3.4% [95% CI, 0.8% to 6.0%]); Black: 4.7% [95% CI, 3.4% to 5.9%]; Hispanic: 4.7% [95% CI, 3.4% to 5.9%]; and White: 3.1% [95% CI, 1.1% to 4.4%]) and among each gestational age range (22 weeks: 14.4% [95% CI, 11.1% to 17.7%] and 25 weeks: 2.9% [95% CI, 1.5% to 4.2%]). Compared with neonates born to White individuals (57.0%), neonates born to Asian/Pacific Islander (46.2%; risk difference [RD], -10.81 [95% CI, -12.75 to -8.88]; aRR, 0.82 [95% CI, [0.79-0.86]), Black (51.6%; RD, -5.42 [95% CI, -6.36 to -4.50]; aRR, 0.90 [95% CI, 0.89 to 0.92]), and Hispanic (48.0%; RD, -9.03 [95% CI, -10.07 to -7.99]; aRR, 0.83 [95% CI, 0.81 to 0.85]) individuals were significantly less likely to receive active treatment.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

From 2014 to 2020 in the US, the frequency of active treatment among neonates born alive between 22 weeks 0 days and 25 weeks 6 days significantly increased, and there were differences in rates of active treatment by race and ethnicity.

Decision making at extreme prematurity: Innovation in clinician education

Decision-making at extreme prematurity remains ethically and practically challenging and can result in parental and clinician distress. It is vital that clinicians learn the necessary skills integral to counseling and decision-making with families in these situations. A pedagogical approach to teaching counseling should incorporate adult learning theory, emphasize multidisciplinary team in-situ simulation that links to counseling clinicians' daily practice, and includes critical reflection, debriefing, and program assessment. Multiple educational strategies that train clinicians in advanced communication and decision-making offer promising results to optimize antenatal counseling and shared decision-making for families facing possible delivery at extreme prematurity. Continued process evaluation and innovation in these educational domains are needed while also assessing the effect on patient-centered outcomes.

Addressing bias and disparities in periviable counseling and care

Addressing bias and disparities in counseling and care requires that we contend with dehumanizing attitudes, stereotypes, and beliefs that our society and profession holds towards people of color, broadly, and Black birthing people in particular. It also necessitates an accounting of the historically informed, racist ideologies that shape present-day implicit biases. These biases operate in a distinctly complex and damaging manner in the context of end-of-life care, which centers around questions related to human pain, suffering, and value. Therefore, this paper aims to trace biases and disparities that operate in periviable care, where end-of-life decisions are made at the very beginning of life. We start from a historical context to situate racist ideologies into present day stereotypes and tropes that dehumanize and disadvantage Black birthing people and Black neonates in perinatal care. Here, we review the literature, address historical incidents and consider their impact on our ability to deliver patient-centered periviable care.