Perinatal Hospice: Compassionate and Comprehensive Care for Families with Lethal Prenatal Diagnosis

Abstract

When the diagnosis of a lethal anomaly has been established, many patients will choose to continue to their pregnancy. Until recently, there has been a lack of medical literature addressing the specific management of the families who find themselves in this unique situation. Since 1996, we have proposed a model of care that involves the strength of prenatal diagnosis, perinatal grief management, and hospice care to address the needs of these families. This article describes how to identify patients who benefit from this care; the multidisciplinary team approach; and the aspects of antepartum, intrapartum, and postpartum care. The literature to date is discussed, and barriers to implementation described.