Abstract

DA SILVA, Pablo et al. Perinatal viability in Uruguay: Perinatal actions by the health team. The opinion of experts  . Arch. Pediatr. Urug. [online]. 2016, vol.87, n.2, pp.108-114. ISSN 0004-0584.

The opinion of professionals in relation to what they understand the age limit for human viability is, or the actions they take in general, when they face premature ends are not known in Uruguay. For this reason, a survey was implemented to learn about this issue. A descriptive, observational and cross-sectional study was conducted. Almost 90% or even more of the 83 physicians consulted find the role of the family is very important as they are active participants in the making of decisions along with the health team. The therapeutic actions taken geared to providing a proactive treatment to offer the newborn the possibility of survival (initiation of corticoids, prophylactic antibiotics, utero inhibition, monitoring of fetal well-being, and referral to neonatal ICU etc) are  more obvious as from 24 weeks of gestational age, being it over 90% in all questions referred. Over 90% of neonatologists and up to 50% of gynecologists believe they are acting without a legal framework that guarantees their actions in terms of what is ethically and humanly justifiable. As a conclusion of this study, the opinions by the professionals surveyed is that neonatal viability is between 24 and 26 weeks, differing from the strip of gestational ages international scientific societies debate nowadays, many of which finds the boundary between 23 to 24 weeks.

Keywords : PERINATAL VIABILITY; EXTREME PREMATURITY.

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