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Wang LW, Chu CH, Lin YC, Huang CC. Severe brain injury and trends of gestational-age-related neurodevelopmental outcomes in infants born very preterm: A population cohort study. Dev Med Child Neurol 2024. [PMID: 38946133 DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.16003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
AIM To investigate the impact of severe neonatal brain injury (SNBI) on gestational age-related trends in neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) outcome in infants born very preterm. METHOD A population-based cohort study recruited 1091 infants born at a gestational age of less than 31 weeks between 2011 and 2020. The trends in neonatal morbidities, mortality, and 24-month NDI severity (no/mild, moderate, severe) by epoch (2011-2015, 2016-2020) and gestational age (22-25 weeks, 26-28 weeks, 29-30 weeks) were determined in infants with and without SNBI inclusion. RESULTS There was increased antenatal steroid use and higher maternal education and socioeconomic status over time. The rates of neonatal morbidities and mortality had no temporal changes. Among 825 infants with follow-up, those in the 22 to 25 weeks gestational age group had declining trends in cerebral palsy and severe cognitive impairment, with decreased rates of severe NDI from 19% to 8% across epochs, particularly in those without SNBI (from 16% to 2%). Relative to its occurrence in epoch 2011 to 2015, risk of severe NDI was significantly reduced in epoch 2016 to 2020 (adjusted relative risk 0.39, 95% confidence interval 0.16-0.96) for infants born at 22 to 25 weeks gestational age, and the risk dropped even lower in these infants without SNBI (0.12, 0.02-0.84). INTERPRETATION Infants born at 22 to 25 weeks gestational age had decreased rates of severe NDI in the decade between 2011 and 2020, particularly those without SNBI. The improvement might be attributed to better perinatal/neonatal and after-discharge care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan-Wan Wang
- Department of Pediatrics, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Technology, Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Tainan, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Hsiang Chu
- Institute of Statistics, National University of Kaohsiung, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Yung-Chieh Lin
- Department of Pediatrics, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Chao-Ching Huang
- Department of Pediatrics, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Pediatrics, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
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Vidaeff AC, Kaempf JW. The Ethics and Practice of Periviability Care. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 11:386. [PMID: 38671603 PMCID: PMC11049503 DOI: 10.3390/children11040386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Since the 1960s, the gestational age at which premature infants typically survive has decreased by approximately one week per decade [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex C. Vidaeff
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Texas Children’s Hospital Pavilion for Women, 6651 Main Street, Suite F1020, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Joseph W. Kaempf
- Women & Children’s Institute, Providence Health System Oregon, Portland, OR 97232, USA;
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Litt JS, Halfon N, Msall ME, Russ SA, Hintz SR. Ensuring Optimal Outcomes for Preterm Infants after NICU Discharge: A Life Course Health Development Approach to High-Risk Infant Follow-Up. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 11:146. [PMID: 38397258 PMCID: PMC10886801 DOI: 10.3390/children11020146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Children born prematurely (<37 weeks' gestation) have an increased risk for chronic health problems and developmental challenges compared to their term-born peers. The threats to health and development posed by prematurity, the unintended effects of life-sustaining neonatal intensive care, the associated neonatal morbidities, and the profound stressors to families affect well-being during infancy, childhood, adolescence, and beyond. Specialized clinical programs provide medical and developmental follow-up care for preterm infants after hospital discharge. High-risk infant follow-up, like most post-discharge health services, has many shortcomings, including unclear goals, inadequate support for infants, parents, and families, fragmented service provisions, poor coordination among providers, and an artificially foreshortened time horizon. There are well-documented inequities in care access and delivery. We propose applying a life course health development framework to clinical follow-up for children born prematurely that is contextually appropriate, developmentally responsive, and equitably deployed. The concepts of health development, unfolding, complexity, timing, plasticity, thriving, and harmony can be mapped to key components of follow-up care delivery to address pressing health challenges. This new approach envisions a more effective version of clinical follow-up to support the best possible functional outcomes and the opportunity for every premature infant to thrive within their family and community environments over their life course.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan S. Litt
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Social and Behavioral Pediatrics, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Neal Halfon
- Center for Healthier Children, Families, and Communities, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA; (N.H.); (S.A.R.)
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
- Department of Health Policy and Management, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Public Policy, UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Michael E. Msall
- Department of Pediatrics, Sections of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics and Kennedy Research Center on Intellectual and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities, University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, IL 60637, USA;
| | - Shirley Ann Russ
- Center for Healthier Children, Families, and Communities, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA; (N.H.); (S.A.R.)
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
| | - Susan R. Hintz
- Division of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94305, USA;
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Garofoli F, Franco V, Accorsi P, Albertini R, Angelini M, Asteggiano C, Aversa S, Ballante E, Borgatti R, Cabini RF, Caporali C, Chiapparini L, Cociglio S, Fazzi E, Longo S, Malerba L, Materia V, Mazzocchi L, Naboni C, Palmisani M, Pichiecchio A, Pinelli L, Pisoni C, Preda L, Riboli A, Risso FM, Rizzo V, Rognone E, Simoncelli AM, Villani P, Tzialla C, Ghirardello S, Orcesi S. Fate of melatonin orally administered in preterm newborns: Antioxidant performance and basis for neuroprotection. J Pineal Res 2024; 76:e12932. [PMID: 38111174 DOI: 10.1111/jpi.12932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
Preterm infants cannot counteract excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production due to preterm birth, leading to an excess of lipid peroxidation with malondialdehyde (MDA) production, capable of contributing to brain damage. Melatonin (ME), an endogenous brain hormone, and its metabolites, act as a free radical scavenger against ROS. Unfortunately, preterms have an impaired antioxidant system, resulting in the inability to produce and release ME. This prospective, multicenter, parallel groups, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial aimed to assess: (i) the endogenous production of ME in very preterm infants (gestational age ≤ 29 + 6 WE, 28 infants in the ME and 26 in the placebo group); (ii) the exogenous hormone availability and its metabolization to the main metabolite, 6-OH-ME after 15 days of ME oral treatment; (iii) difference of MDA plasma concentration, as peroxidation marker, after treatment. Blood was collected before the first administration (T1) and after 15 days of administration (T2). ME and 6-OH-ME were detected by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, MDA was measured by liquid chromatograph with fluorescence detection. ME and 6-OH-ME were not detectable in the placebo group at any study time-point. ME was absent in the active group at T1. In contrast, after oral administration, ME and 6-OH-ME resulted highly detectable and the difference between concentrations T2 versus T1 was statistically significant, as well as the difference between treated and placebo groups at T2. MDA levels seemed stable during the 15 days of treatment in both groups. Nevertheless, a trend in the percentage of neonates with reduced MDA concentration at T2/T1 was 48.1% in the ME group versus 38.5% in the placebo group. We demonstrated that very preterm infants are not able to produce endogenous detectable plasma levels of ME during their first days of life. Still, following ME oral administration, appreciable amounts of ME and 6-OH-ME were available. The trend of MDA reduction in the active group requires further clinical trials to fix the dosage, the length of ME therapy and to identify more appropriate indexes to demonstrate, at biological and clinical levels, the antioxidant activity and consequent neuroprotectant potential of ME in very preterm newborns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Garofoli
- 1Neonatal Unit and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Valentina Franco
- Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology Unit, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Patrizia Accorsi
- Unit of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, ASST-Spedali Civili of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Riccardo Albertini
- Laboratory of Clinical Chemistry, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Micol Angelini
- 1Neonatal Unit and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Carlo Asteggiano
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Department of Neuroradiology, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Salvatore Aversa
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Children's Hospital, University Hospital "Spedali Civili" of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Elena Ballante
- Political and Social Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- BioData Science Center, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Renato Borgatti
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | | | - Camilla Caporali
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Luisa Chiapparini
- Radiodiagnostic Department, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Sara Cociglio
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Elisa Fazzi
- Unit of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, ASST-Spedali Civili of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Stefania Longo
- 1Neonatal Unit and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Laura Malerba
- Unit of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, ASST-Spedali Civili of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Valeria Materia
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Children's Hospital, University Hospital "Spedali Civili" of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Laura Mazzocchi
- Department of Neuroradiology, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Cecilia Naboni
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Michela Palmisani
- Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology Unit, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Anna Pichiecchio
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Department of Neuroradiology, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Pinelli
- Neuroradiology Department, Pediatric Neuroradiology Section, Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy
| | - Camilla Pisoni
- 1Neonatal Unit and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Preda
- Radiodiagnostic Department, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
- Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostics and Pediatric sciences, University of Pavia, Italy
| | - Alice Riboli
- Hospital Pediatric Psychology, Unit of Psychology, Children's Hospital "Spedali Civili" of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Francesco M Risso
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Children's Hospital, University Hospital "Spedali Civili" of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Vittoria Rizzo
- Laboratory of Clinical Chemistry, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Elisa Rognone
- Department of Neuroradiology, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Anna M Simoncelli
- Radiodiagnostic Department, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Paola Villani
- Laboratory of Clinical Chemistry, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Chryssoula Tzialla
- Neonatal and Pediatric Unit, Polo Ospedaliero Oltrepò, ASST Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Stefano Ghirardello
- 1Neonatal Unit and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Simona Orcesi
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
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Horbar JD, Greenberg LT, Buzas JS, Ehret DEY, Soll RF, Edwards EM. Trends in Mortality and Morbidities for Infants Born 24 to 28 Weeks in the US: 1997-2021. Pediatrics 2024; 153:e2023064153. [PMID: 38053449 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2023-064153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mortality and morbidity for very preterm infants in the United States decreased for years. The current study describes recent changes to assess whether the pace of improvement has changed. METHODS Vermont Oxford Network members contributed data on infants born at 24 to 28 weeks' gestation from 1997 to 2021. We modeled mortality, late-onset sepsis, necrotizing enterocolitis, chronic lung disease, severe intraventricular hemorrhage, severe retinopathy of prematurity, and death or morbidity by year of birth using segmented relative risk regression, reporting risk-adjusted annual percentage changes with 95% confidence intervals overall and by gestational age week. RESULTS Analyses of data for 447 396 infants at 888 hospitals identified 3 time point segments for mortality, late onset sepsis, chronic lung disease, severe intraventricular hemorrhage, severe retinopathy of prematurity, and death or morbidity, and 4 for necrotizing enterocolitis. Mortality decreased from 2005 to 2021, but more slowly since 2012. Late-onset sepsis decreased from 1997 to 2021, but more slowly since 2012. Severe retinopathy of prematurity decreased from 2002 to 2021, but more slowly since 2011. Necrotizing enterocolitis, severe intraventricular hemorrhage, and death or morbidity were stable since 2015. Chronic lung disease has increased since 2012. Trends by gestational age generally mirror those for the overall cohort. CONCLUSIONS Improvements in mortality and morbidity have slowed, stalled, or reversed in recent years. We propose a 3-part strategy to regain the pace of improvement: research; quality improvement; and follow through, practicing social as well as technical medicine to improve the health and well-being of infants and families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey D Horbar
- Vermont Oxford Network, Burlington, Vermont
- Department of Pediatrics, Robert Larner, Maryland College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont
| | - Lucy T Greenberg
- Vermont Oxford Network, Burlington, Vermont
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont
| | - Jeffrey S Buzas
- Vermont Oxford Network, Burlington, Vermont
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont
| | - Danielle E Y Ehret
- Vermont Oxford Network, Burlington, Vermont
- Department of Pediatrics, Robert Larner, Maryland College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont
| | - Roger F Soll
- Vermont Oxford Network, Burlington, Vermont
- Department of Pediatrics, Robert Larner, Maryland College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont
| | - Erika M Edwards
- Vermont Oxford Network, Burlington, Vermont
- Department of Pediatrics, Robert Larner, Maryland College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont
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Chapman AR, Brunelli L, Forman L, Kaempf J. Promoting children's rights to health and well-being in the United States. LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH. AMERICAS 2023; 25:100577. [PMID: 37650073 PMCID: PMC10462822 DOI: 10.1016/j.lana.2023.100577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 05/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
The United States has a highly sophisticated pediatric healthcare system and spends more than any other country per capita on children's healthcare. However, not all children have access to needed and affordable health care and the life expectancy and health outcomes of children in the country are worse than in any other industrialized nation. These nations typically offer universal healthcare for children as part of a robust recognition of a children's rights framework. In 1989 the United Nations adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child that recognizes the right of the child to the highest attainable standard of health and to facilities for the treatment of illness and rehabilitation of health. Currently the United States is the only United Nations member country that has not ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child. This paper outlines the potential benefits of adopting a child rights approach based on the principles and provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The fact that countries who invest much less in healthcare compared to the United States can achieve better health outcomes provides the certainty that a solution is possible and within reach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey R. Chapman
- Department of Public Health Sciences, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Luca Brunelli
- Department of Pediatrics/Neonatology, University of Utah Health/Primary Children’s Hospital, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Lisa Forman
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Joseph Kaempf
- Providence Health System, Women and Children’s Services, Portland, OR, USA
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Kaempf JW, Moore GP. Extremely premature birth bioethical decision-making supported by dialogics and pragmatism. BMC Med Ethics 2023; 24:9. [PMID: 36774482 PMCID: PMC9922460 DOI: 10.1186/s12910-023-00887-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Moral values in healthcare range widely between interest groups and are principally subjective. Disagreements diminish dialogue and marginalize alternative viewpoints. Extremely premature births exemplify how discord becomes unproductive when conflicts of interest, cultural misunderstanding, constrained evidence review, and peculiar hierarchy compete without the balance of objective standards of reason. Accepting uncertainty, distributing risk fairly, and humbly acknowledging therapeutic limits are honorable traits, not relativism, and especially crucial in our world of constrained resources. We think dialogics engender a mutual understanding that: i) transitions beliefs beyond bias, ii) moves conflict toward pragmatism (i.e., the truth of any position is verified by subsequent experience), and iii) recognizes value pluralism (i.e., human values are irreducibly diverse, conflicting, and ultimately incommensurable). This article provides a clear and useful Point-Counterpoint of extreme prematurity controversies, an objective neurodevelopmental outcomes table, and a dialogics exemplar to cultivate shared empathetic comprehension, not to create sides from which to choose. It is our goal to bridge the understanding gap within and between physicians and bioethicists. Dialogics accept competing relational interests as human nature, recognizing that ultimate solutions satisfactory to all are illusory, because every choice has downside. Nurturing a collective consciousness via dialogics and pragmatism is congenial to integrating objective evidence review and subjective moral-cultural sentiments, and is that rarest of ethical constructs, a means and an end.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph W. Kaempf
- grid.415337.70000 0004 0456 8744Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, Women and Children’s Services, 9205 SW Barnes Road, Portland, OR 97225 USA
| | - Gregory P. Moore
- grid.412687.e0000 0000 9606 5108Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Newborn Care, The Ottawa Hospital – General Campus, 501 Smyth Road, Box 806, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6 Canada
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Kaempf JW, Dirksen KM. The Birth of Tragedy? Extremely Premature Births and Shared Decision-Making. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOETHICS : AJOB 2022; 22:59-66. [PMID: 36332042 DOI: 10.1080/15265161.2022.2123981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
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