Paliatívna medicína a liečba bolesti 1-2e/2023

Perinatal palliative care programmes

Palliative care in obstetrics and neonatology is a relatively new, dynamically evolving field of medicine, whose expected beneficial impact on the quality of life of the child and family has not yet been evaluated in detail. It incorporates the philosophy and expertise of hospice care into pregnancy and child care, respects the child and the parental role, and assits parents in coping with loss. As there are currently no standard tools for developing Perinatal Palliative Care (PPC) programs, individual programs differ significantly. However, important common components have been identified internationally that all emerging PPC programs should include. These include child-centred care, symptom management and comfort care. Family-focused care, communication between the multidisciplinary team and parents, shared decision-making, spiritual, emotional and practical support for families, and continuity of care even in bereavement. The care of health professionals and issues related to decision-making are also very important. The above list of different components of care that should be included in the PPC can serve as inspiration for the development of future initiatives in Slovakia. As there is little evidence on the effectiveness and sufficiency of the individual components, further research is needed to identify which of the listed components lead to improvements in the PPC.

Keywords: perinatal palliative care, plan of care, PPC programs, hospice care, parental role