Babies with myelomeningocele in Poland: parents' attitudes on fetal surgery versus termination of pregnancy.
BACKGROUND
Recent surgical advances have resulted in fetal surgery becoming an option for children with myelomeningocele (MMC). However, there is little information about the parents' attitudes towards such therapy.


METHODS
Following a lecture on the current status and problems of fetal surgery for MMC, a 12-item questionnaire was administered to 58 parents of children with MMC. Questionnaire topics included knowledge of the disease and treatment options, as well as attitudes and concerns towards fetal surgery or termination of pregnancy.


RESULTS
Following the lecture, 14 (out of 58) parents felt that knowledge of the disease would allow for abortion to be an option, while 18 were uncertain. Once informed of potential risks and benefits of fetal surgery, 34 parents had a positive or rather positive attitude towards this procedure.


CONCLUSIONS
On the basis of these results, it was concluded that this population is potentially interested in the use of fetal surgery.
Department of Paediatric Surgery, Silesian Medical University, ul. Medykow 16 , 40-752, Katowice, Poland. urologia@gczdim.katowice.pl
Tomasz
T
Koszutski
Henryk
H
Kawalski
Grzegorz
G
Kudela
Jolanta
J
Wróblewska
Katarzyna
K
Byrka-Owczarek
Janusz
J
Bohosiewicz
D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008591:Meningomyelocele / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000196:embryology / Q000601:surgery*; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011044:Poland; D011247:Pregnancy; D018607:Pregnancy Reduction, Multifetal / Q000941:ethics* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires