[Medical and ethical problems posed by the prenatal diagnosis of distal absence of a limb]

J Gynecol Obstet Biol Reprod (Paris). 1992;21(5):475-8.
[Article in French]

Abstract

Eight cases of distal amputation of limb are reported. The diagnosis were made by ultrasound scans at 18-25 weeks of amenorrhea. In all cases, according to the French law, our team of fetal medicine refused the therapeutic terminations of pregnancy requested by the parents. The therapeutic terminations of pregnancy were achieved by another unit of fetal medicine in France, or in another country. These reported cases address many questions about the aim of fetal medicine (therapeutic terminations of pregnancy or treatment of infants), the place of the parents request in the decision, the different decision arguments, and the variations in the decision between different fetal medicine crew facing to similar prenatal diagnosis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Abortion, Legal
  • Abortion, Therapeutic
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Arm / abnormalities*
  • Congenital Abnormalities / diagnostic imaging*
  • Congenital Abnormalities / epidemiology
  • Congenital Abnormalities / rehabilitation
  • Decision Making
  • England
  • Ethics, Medical*
  • Female
  • France / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Leg / abnormalities*
  • Parents / psychology
  • Pregnancy
  • Professional-Family Relations
  • Ultrasonography, Prenatal / standards*