title: [Approach to preterm birth on the threshold of viability (the 22-25 week) of gestation].
abstract: Preterm birth represents a serious socioeconomic problem because of costs for the care and integration of some premature children with disabilities into society. It is a syndrome which results from many initiating reasons. It takes three basic forms of the clinical view: premature labour with contractions, premature rupture of the membranes and incompetence of cervix. The frequency of preterm births is stable in most countries of the Euro-Atlantic Region, which does not correspond to still improving perinatal care. Viability is known as an ability to survive, grow and develop in a standard way. The threshold of viability in regard to the possibility to be born alive and survive lies between week 22 and 23 at present. By neonatologists, the 22-25 weeks of gestation is known as the grey zone, during which the prognosis of mortality and morbidity is uncertain. The recommendations of most West European countries emphasize the importance of individual approach to the 24-25 week. The parents must be informed about the prognosis of mortality and morbidity of the foetus. The criterion of quality of life should also be respected. Therefore the wishes of parents not to provide the aid to the newborn baby may be more important than the criterion of maturity.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Göthová
mesh_terms: D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018743:Perinatal Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000453:epidemiology*