Abstract

JASSO-GUTIERREZ, Luis  and  GAMBOA-MARRUFO, José Domingo. Evolution, impact and application of bioethics in the newborn. Bol. Med. Hosp. Infant. Mex. [online]. 2010, vol.67, n.3, pp.204-222. ISSN 1665-1146.

We describe the application of bioethics with a practical approach in the newborn. We discuss ethical dilemmas such as in vitro fertilization, umbilical cord blood banks, neonatal screening, gene therapy, anencephalic children as organ donors, circumcision, the newborn as a subject of clinical research and types of representative bioethical diseases. Bioethical aspects are discussed in those children born preterm at 24 weeks of gestation or less and its quantitative impact on society as well as the initiation and evolution of bioethics in these children. We also describe four paradigmatic cases related to Baby Doe and the impact leading the world to change the design of bioethics. We discuss the Netherlands Groningen Protocol and we later describe the evolution and importance of clinical bioethics committees (CBC) focused on the newborn, which relates to an actual case methodology at the Children's Hospital of México Federico Gómez. We conclude with a set of bioethical reflections relating to its application in the newborn.

Keywords : bioethics; neonate; bioethics committee; Groningen Protocol; prematurity; Baby Doe.