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Question 642
Clinical Management → Clinical Practice
Classification
Question
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Emergency treatment of a newborn
Question Stem
Parents refuse treatment that clinicians believe is crucial to prevent death or serious permanent injury to their newborn. The situation becomes so urgent that there is no time to apply to court. What does advise?
Options
A
Respect parental refusal in all circumstances
B
Wait until a court can hear the case
C
Ask another relative to consent
D
Resolve doubt in favour of preservation of life
E
Provide treatment only if the parents later agree
Explanation
Where clinicians believe treatment is crucial, a court can normally be asked to decide the child’s best interests. If the emergency leaves no time for a court application, doubts should be resolved in favour of preservation of life.
Option Validity
A) Parental refusal is not absolute when clinicians believe treatment is crucial to prevent death or serious permanent injury.
B) action in an emergency when there is no time to apply to court.
C) Another relative does not replace the court or provide the decisive consent described.
E) In a time-critical emergency, treatment is not deferred pending later parental agreement.
Further Reading
Saxena MRCOG-1 Basic Sciences — Principles of Clinical Practice, printed pp. 4–5.