Parental preferences for neonatal resuscitation research consent: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
Obtaining informed consent for resuscitation research, especially in the newborn, is problematic. This study aimed to evaluate parental preferences for hypothetical consent procedures in neonatal resuscitation research.


METHODS
Mail-out survey questionnaire.


METHODS
Randomly selected parents who had received obstetrical or neonatal care at a tertiary perinatal centre.


METHODS
Parental levels of comfort (Likert-type scale 1-6) regarding different methods of obtaining consent in hypothetical resuscitation research scenarios.


RESULTS
The response rate was 34%. The respondents were a group of highly educated women with a higher family income than would be expected in the general population. In terms of results, parents valued the impact the research would have on their baby and the importance of a positive interaction with the physicians conducting the research study. Parents felt most comfortable with prospective consent in the setting of prenatal classes or prenatal visits with a physician, but they were somewhat uncomfortable with prospective consent upon admission to hospital after labour had begun. Parents were uncomfortable with waived consent, deferred consent, and opting out, no matter when during the pregnancy consent was requested.


CONCLUSIONS
This pilot study reports parental preferences for prenatal information and consent for such research trials of neonatal resuscitation. A low response rate and potentially skewed demographics of the respondents prevent generalisability of this result. Interview studies should be performed to better determine parental preferences for informed consent in a more representative population.
Culbert
A
A
Center for Clinical Education, Teilum, Afsnit 5404, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100 Copenhagen O, Denmark.
Davis
D J
DJ
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D035843:Biomedical Research; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000523:psychology*; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000523:psychology; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012151:Resuscitation / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology