What is Perinatal Hospice?
Perinatal hospice and palliative care is an innovative and compassionate model of support that can be offered to parents who find out during pregnancy that their baby has a fatal condition. As prenatal testing continues to advance, more families are finding themselves in this heartbreaking situation. Perinatal (perinatal means around the time of birth) hospice incorporates the philosophy and expertise of hospice into the care of this new population of patients. For parents who receive a terminal prenatal diagnosis and wish to continue their pregnancies, perinatal palliative care helps them embrace whatever life their baby might have, before and after birth. This support begins at the time of diagnosis, not just after the baby is born. It can be thought of as "hospice in the womb" (including birth planning and preliminary medical decision-making before the baby is born) as well as more traditional hospice and palliative care after birth (if the baby lives longer than a few minutes or hours). This approach supports families through the rest of the pregnancy, through decision-making before and after birth, and through their grief. Perinatal hospice also enables families to make meaningful plans for the baby's life, birth, and death, honoring the baby as well as the baby's family. Perinatal hospice is not a place. Ideally, it is a comprehensive team approach that includes obstetricians, perinatologists, labor & delivery nurses, neonatologists, NICU staff, chaplains/pastors and social workers (Hoeldtke & Calhoun 2001, Calhoun et al 2003), as well as genetic counselors, midwives, therapists, and traditional hospice professionals. Perinatal hospice is a beautiful and practical response to one of the most heartbreaking challenges of prenatal testing.
For additional facts and information about perinatal hospice and palliative care please click here.
Along with information about perinatal hospice they also have different forms that are very helpful for planning your child's birth.
from St. Joseph's Hospital
Find a Perinatal Hospice and Palliative Care Program Near You
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The New York Times wrote an article about Perinatal Hospice.
Click here to read the article.
Are you in Utah? Find out more about Angel Watch. This program is sponsored by Intermountain Health Care but is for anyone that meets the Angel Watch criteria. I know the women that run this program and they do an amazing job. I can't say enough good about Angel Watch. Click here to visit the Angel Watch site and find out more about their program.
The New York Times wrote an article about Perinatal Hospice.
Click here to read the article.
Are you in Utah? Find out more about Angel Watch. This program is sponsored by Intermountain Health Care but is for anyone that meets the Angel Watch criteria. I know the women that run this program and they do an amazing job. I can't say enough good about Angel Watch. Click here to visit the Angel Watch site and find out more about their program.
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