Palliative management in perinatal care

As we lean over a newborn baby in intensive care, who is dying or who is about to die in an inpatient hospice or at home, we should keep the contents of the chapters of this book in mind. The excellent selection, by the scientific editors, of authors with a variety of specialities, conveys to us the sometimes very difficult philosophical content (about dying, the suffering of parents of children with malformations and disabilities, at the limit of survival and with severe brain damage) in a clear and accessible manner. Many of the chapters carry a heavy educational burden. This is a very important item on the shelves of medical publishers and should be seen and picked up frequently. The book provides a ready textbook for teaching medical ethics, which I hope will soon become a compulsory, not just optional, course in medical schools. The monograph is also worth reading because at many points it is moving and teaches empathetic behaviour. It also forces us to think about what we do every day - ours and, in the opinion of others, well, but what we could certainly do better, perhaps differently. Let us also think about whether our focus is always, of course, the sick child, but surely also the parents, giving them the hope that comes with the other - with us. to read, a book that I was honoured to review.