Protocolo para la toma de decisiones éticas en neonatología

There is still no published agreement on the ethical criteria to continue or suspend neonatal intensive care anywhere in the world. The criteria of best interest or a criterion based on the weeks of foetal development at birth are very often used. However, both criteria have defects that are explained in the text. In order to solve this dilemma and the aforementioned criticisms, propose a new criterion is proposed, called the “pain principle”, according to which intensive care can be interrupted or improved in the case of obvious or intractable pain or stress. Explanations will be given in the text on the correct ways to measure pain and stress in newborns. Suspending treatments for fear of a future disability, without the presence of pain, is not ethically acceptable.