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Chapter 11 - Periviability

from Section 3 - Professionally Responsible Clinical Practice

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 November 2019

Laurence B. McCullough ,
John H. Coverdale  and
Frank A. Chervenak
Laurence B. McCullough
Affiliation:
Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell
John H. Coverdale
Affiliation:
Baylor College of Medicine, Texas
Frank A. Chervenak
Affiliation:
Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell
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Summary

This chapter provides an ethical framework to guide decision making about periviable birth.

Viability in professional ethics in obstetrics and gynecology is a function of both fetal physiology and available resuscitation and life-sustaining treatment. Viability is therefore the biological capacity of a live-born infant to survive even if full technological support is needed. This is the concept of viability used by the United States Supreme Court in its landmark ruling, Roe v. Wade, in 1973.

Type
Chapter
Information
Professional Ethics in Obstetrics and Gynecology , pp. 139 - 146
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2019

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References

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