Committee Opinion No. 501: Maternal–Fetal Intervention and Fetal Care Centers

Authors:
  • AEAmerican College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Committee on Ethics
    American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Committee on Ethics
  • ABAmerican Academy of Pediatrics.Committee on Bioethics
    American Academy of Pediatrics.Committee on Bioethics
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Abstract
The past two decades have yielded profound advances in the fields of prenatal diagnosis and fetal intervention. Although fetal interventions are driven by a beneficence-based motivation to improve fetal and neonatal outcomes, advancement in fetal therapies raises ethical issues surrounding maternal autonomy and decision making, concepts of innovation versus research, and organizational aspects within institutions in the development of fetal care centers. To safeguard the interests of both the pregnant woman and the fetus, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Academy of Pediatrics make recommendations regarding informed consent, the role of research subject advocates and other independent advocates, the availability of support services, the multidisciplinary nature of fetal intervention teams, the oversight of centers, and the need to accumulate maternal and fetal outcome data.