Page 14 - 104-105山醫學倫理暨人文醫學圖書心得精選集

guidelines. After a review of medical literature, it is apparent
that the doctor was neither negligent, nor could he be
considered completely responsible for the neurological damage
which was most likely the result of low gestational age.

However, it is equally easy to understand the anger and
frustration of the parents who now must live with the
consequences of having a developmentally impaired child. One
of the biggest problems in this case is that there was no
mention of whether parental counseling occurred at all. It is
quite likely that the parents might have felt left out of the
decision-making process, leading to anger, resentment and
blame even when the physician’s decisions were within widely
accepted standards of care. Therefore, education regarding
possible outcomes of preterm delivery might have better
prepared the parents in such a difficult situation, and would
have given them the opportunity to make informed decisions.

In an ideal world, parents and physicians would work
together as a team to find the best possible solution for any
premature birth. But the decision to continue or withhold care
will always be an emotional one, and sometimes it is difficult
for both sides to reach a consensus. Nonetheless, as
pediatricians caring for the smallest of all human beings, we
should strive to find a balance between the rights of the infant
and their parents and also our moral obligation as physicians to

6 104-105 年度〃醫學倫理〃人文醫學〃心得