This Week's ER: Why didn't they try to save the micro-preemie???

[Anne P. Mitchell, Esq.]

This week's ER was so very disturbing; yes, I realize that it's television,
but it seems that it is usually based on at least some legitimate science.

This week a woman delivered prematurely - VERY prematurely, the baby was
under 22 weeks, although it wasn't clear by how much, and it seemed as if
it may have been just 20-21 weeks old.

After the baby delivered, they did NO support at all, other than to put it
on a warming bed, and wait for it to die. There was no discussion as to
why, that was just what they did, although the couple very clearly very
much wanted the baby. And the baby *lived*, breathing on its own, for
several hours.

My husband is given to understand that if a baby is under 22 weeks, there
is simply no way to save it, and as such no effort will be made. Is that
really accurate? I find it very hard to believe. If a baby of that age
survived for several hours, all on its own, I just can't IMAGINE a hospital
not trying to do what it could to save the baby.

Again I realize that this is just tv (I'm really looking for real life
information which I hope will include "ER was inaccurate").

Also, I know from experience, and lots of reading and such, that the
gestational age is often just a best guess; in the show they just called
the woman's OB's office (she was from out of town), and got a date, and jus
t went with it. They did no tests on the baby to confirm it's maturity, or
anything. Just "oh, we were told it's under 22 weeks, so we won't try to
save it."

As I said, this just seemed so disturbing - can anyone tell me how it
happens in real life?

Thanks!

Anne
William - 4/11/98
Jessica - 8/28/78

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[Bernhard Ruemelin]

"Anne P. Mitchell, Esq." wrote:
> This week's ER ....
what do you mean by that? i惴 german and not familiar with most of
english abbreviations.
> ... under 22 weeks, although it wasn't clear by how much, and it

> seemed as if it may have been just 20-21 weeks old.

in reality, this had to be proved, under all circumstances, before
making up any decision!

> After the baby delivered, they did NO support at all, other than to

> put it on a warming bed, and wait for it to die. ....
at least, they should have placed the baby in the arms of its mother,
to die there, accompanied and soothed by her love.

> And the baby *lived*, breathing on its own, for several hours.

The question is, wether breathing was sufficient according to oxygen
supply, which can not be expected at that gestational age because of the
lack of surfactant in the lung alveoles.

> My husband is given to understand that if a baby is under 22 weeks,

> there is simply no way to save it, ...
see above
> .... and as such no effort will be made. Is that really accurate?
if the gestational age was actually 22 weeks, i惴 sorry, that is really
accurate. Today, from a gestational age of 24 weeks on there is a tiny
chance (below 50%) to save a baby愀 life by neonatologic intensive
treatment, but on the other hand side the hazards for the premature baby
to aquire severe injuries according to oxygen-supply-difficulties,
immunologic difficulties and so on are extremely high. So the outcome of
treatment like that as far as healthy babies are concerned is very very
low.

> I find it very hard to believe. If a baby of that age survived for
> several hours, all on its own, I just can't IMAGINE a hospital not
> trying to do what it could to save the baby.

so on the contrary please imagine the cruelty done to the baby by
prolonging a life doomed to death for some more days by means of
intensive treatment (tubes and wires around him instead of his mothers
arms).

> Also, I know from experience, and lots of reading and such, that the
> gestational age is often just a best guess; in the show they just
> called the woman's OB's office (she was from out of town), and got a

> date, and just went with it. They did no tests on the baby to confirm > it's maturity, or anything. Just "oh, we were told it's under 22

> weeks, so we won't try to save it."

to me, as an experienced gynecologist from germany, this is quite
unbelievable(!), despite that things like that might happen. Don愒 you
have gestation-monitoring-books in the USA like almost 100% of all
pregnant women have in germany?

yours sincerely

B. Ruemelin
Gynecologist
Koblenz
Germany

[Bernhard Ruemelin]

[RaeMorrill]

Regardless of scientific data, it is only television. License is taken for a
story <shrug>

>>to me, as an experienced gynecologist from germany, this is quite

unbelievable(!), despite that things like that might happen. Don´t you

have gestation-monitoring-books in the USA like almost 100% of all
pregnant women have in germany?

Rae Morrill in Maine
"Ya can't get theyuh from heeah"
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[goddess...@my-deja.com]

In article <SMO$00110...@sintercom.org>,

Bernhard Ruemelin <Bernd.R...@rz-online.de> wrote:
> "Anne P. Mitchell, Esq." wrote:
> > This week's ER ....

> what do you mean by that? i´m german and not familiar with most of
> english abbreviations.

ER stands for Emergency Room. In this instance, the original poster is
referring to a television show that takes place in a hospital emergency
room. It is a fairly popular television series.

<snipped of good medical information>

> > Also, I know from experience, and lots of reading and such, that the
> > gestational age is often just a best guess; in the show they just
> > called the woman's OB's office (she was from out of town), and got a
> > date, and just went with it. They did no tests on the baby to
confirm
> > it's maturity, or anything. Just "oh, we were told it's under 22
> > weeks, so we won't try to save it."
> to me, as an experienced gynecologist from germany, this is quite

> unbelievable(!), despite that things like that might happen. Don´t you

> have gestation-monitoring-books in the USA like almost 100% of all
> pregnant women have in germany?
>

Yes, the information is available here in the states.

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[HopefulDreamer]

Very shocking and for this reason I'm glad I didn't watch ER, after
suffering a miscarriage that's the last thing I want to see on tv. I read
once that 20 years ago they wouldn't attempt to save a baby born at 30
weeks, they're now saving babies earlier and earlier, who knows how far we
can go? I don't have any answers for you, I'm not doctor. Just wanted to
comment on that post.

rebekah

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[RaeMorrill]

I read
once that 20 years ago they wouldn't attempt to save a baby born at 30
weeks, they're now saving babies earlie>>

Not sure that is true, but I doubt it. Of course maybe all facilities didn't
have ability.

Sometimes the penality for saving babies too young to be born might be
horrible. Is it better to have a child who is blind and handicapped because
some people feel they must live no matter what?