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babies left to die before 25 weeks??

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
not sure if this has been done, i couldnt see it but reading this in the newspaper has made me mad, how can they say a baby should be left to die if it has a chance of living a perfectly normal life with some special care when they are born because they are apparently 'bed blockers' and are taking up beds that could be used by children who have a better chance of survival, i mean wtf!!

imagine having a baby born that premature and doctors not being allowed to do anything. its a disgrace that some people actually think that this is in any way right, wouldnt be that if it was their child. i know someone who was born at 24 weeks and she has turned out perfectly healthy, yet some idiots are saying she should have been left to die along with the other kazillion people who have been born this early and turned out healthy.

i think everyone deserves to have a chance at life, no matter what age.

thanks for letting me rant, i was totally disgusted.

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sugar wrote:
    some special care
    Some? A baby born below 25 weeks is likely to need an awful lot of special care.

    I don't agree with the suggestions from the RCOG but the point they make is true - the babies do spend a long time on the SCBUs and it does cost a lot. The thing is, most people are willing to spend NHS money on them, so that's that.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    always down to money money money.
    i know of many kids who started out as prems and who are now in their fighting fit teens and doing very well thankyou.
    pensioners cost to much money ...these kids cost to much money ...the mentaly handicapped cost to much money.
    the way our thinking is being shaped ...there will be no caring in the world before long ...cos it takes time and costs money.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ok i am aware its ALOT of special care, it was just a word i used. and i was giving my views on these people's opinions in the first place, im aware it's probably not going to happen. just made me mad that they could say a baby should die because it costs too much money.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    always down to money money money.
    i know of many kids who started out as prems and who are now in their fighting fit teens and doing very well thankyou.
    pensioners cost to much money ...these kids cost to much money ...the mentaly handicapped cost to much money.
    the way our thinking is being shaped ...there will be no caring in the world before long ...cos it takes time and costs money.

    well said imo.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sugar wrote:
    well said imo.
    There's a limited pot of money. Should it be spent on babies who have <50:50 chance of survival?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Which is the point where we debate about how much a human life is worth.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Kentish wrote:
    There's a limited pot of money. Should it be spent on babies who have <50:50 chance of survival?
    our knowledge and technology have us bolloxed.
    we can dream up all manner of amazing machines and medicines ...we never ever seem to beable to dream up an economic system that actualy works.

    of course it should be spent on these people.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    of course it should be spent on these people.
    Right, and most people agree. Should special care baby units be the priority for developing countries?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Kentish wrote:
    Right, and most people agree. Should special care baby units be the priority for developing countries?
    depends on that countries priorities i suppose.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Kentish wrote:
    Right, and most people agree. Should special care baby units be the priority for developing countries?

    Why should it be? Surely the people who are already living there should be a priority - food, healthcare, etc?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    And apparently, according to today's news, babies less than 25 weeks do in fact feel pain :-

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4875196.stm
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sofie wrote:
    Why should it be? Surely the people who are already living there should be a priority - food, healthcare, etc?
    The point is that special care baby units are expensive luxuries. And they are only provided when there is sufficient cash.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Teagan wrote:
    And apparently, according to today's news, babies less than 25 weeks do in fact feel pain :-

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4875196.stm


    relevance being?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    relevance being?

    Well, the relevance being that leaving a baby to die would not be a painless exercise and needless cruelty ... ?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    well what if a fully grown man was ill and had only 50% chance of survival, should they be left to die? i very much doubt it. why are prem babies lives any less worthy of living?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sugar wrote:
    well what if a fully grown man was ill and had only 50% chance of survival, should they be left to die?
    Sometimes, yes!

    If you had the choice to have an operation with a 50% chance of death but the chance of another five years of life, or to continue with a life of medical problems (maybe a cancer) and death in a few years, which would you choose?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    iT'S ALWAYS A MATTER OF MONEY.
    WE HAVE THE SKILLS AND THE KNOWLEDGE ALONG WITH THE TECHNOLOGY TO SAVE THESE oops caps ...we live in one of the richest corners of the planet yet still people begrudge the funding.
    which realy makes the knowledge etc a bit pointless.
    this country can fund wars of agression ...consider rebuilding the nuclear power industry at a cost of unimaginable billions ...lets have new trident missiles at another countless amount of billions but ...never ...never dream of spending much on the people themselves.
    thats what it always boils down to ...money.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    if the baby comes out alive and fighting, then I think it should be given every chance.
    On the other hand, if the baby really isnt doing well, then I think there should be a cut off point, where medical intervention should be stopped, such as with baby Charlotte. Its the same with older people. There comes a point where nothing much more can be done and its crueler to keep them alive. Theres no way they should be left to die just because they were born before what we think of as viability, because that lowers all the time.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    My grand mother was born probably round the same amount of week and weighted only 700grs! Back then they just put her in a shoe box with just some fabrics to keep her warm. She died at 72yo after having 7 kids. Taking the decision to let a baby die just because it's premature is just stupid, it doesn't mean the baby will die for sure. But I agree that if it is to just have a baby suffering for ages, mabe letting them go is good, but not before we are sure nothing can be done for them.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Kentish i can't help but wonder if your opinions would be the same if it was your child born that premature. i very much doubt it. im sure you would want doctors to do everything in their power to save them. or would you say 'well doctor i understand that it costs alot of money so just do nothing'
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sugar wrote:
    Kentish im sure you would want doctors to do everything in their power
    and that power ...that knowledge ...that technology again is denied on the grounds of cost.
    what is the point in having it all if we can't use it?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sugar wrote:
    Kentish i can't help but wonder if your opinions would be the same if it was your child born that premature. i very much doubt it. im sure you would want doctors to do everything in their power to save them. or would you say 'well doctor i understand that it costs alot of money so just do nothing'
    Of course I'd want my child to survive, what a bizarre point.

    However, I wouldn't want my child to suffer and if it was born at 25 weeks, the reality is that its chances of surviving and staying healthy are poor. I've already said that I don't agree with the RCOG on this, but if you won't even acknowledge the cost of treating very premature babies, how can we justify a publicly funded health service?

    And rolly, I think you overestimate what technology can actually do without the expensive infrastructure and manpower that goes with it.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Kentish wrote:
    And rolly, I think you overestimate what technology can actually do without the expensive infrastructure and manpower that goes with it.
    not realy mate ...i've seen what it can do ...and even relatively low tech as well.
    it annoys me that even in such a wealthy country ...the money can't be found for the people but ...it can for nuclear subs missiles wars as per usual.
    this country is fabulously wealthy ...but spending it on the people is always a problem.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    not realy mate ...i've seen what it can do ...and even relatively low tech as well.
    it annoys me that even in such a wealthy country ...the money can't be found for the people but ...it can for nuclear subs missiles wars as per usual.
    this country is fabulously wealthy ...but spending it on the people is always a problem.
    You've got my vote rolly, but that NHS pot is always going to be limited - nuclear warheads or not.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    There comes a point when we have to ask ourselves whether our expectations of the NHS are too high. We cannot provide everything and so rationing applies.

    On what basis do we ration? Age/Condition/Chance of survival - remember even 1% would suggest that 1 in 100 would benefit...
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    There comes a point when we have to ask ourselves whether our expectations of the NHS are too high. We cannot provide everything and so rationing applies.

    ...
    i think sometimes are expectations are maybe to high but ...is that our fualt?
    'we cannot provide everything' ...is this because ...despite all our clever inventions ...our technology ...we never seem to be clever enough or willing enough ...to create an economic system that can keep up with all our other ideas and achievements?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    if the baby comes out alive and fighting, then I think it should be given every chance.
    On the other hand, if the baby really isnt doing well, then I think there should be a cut off point, where medical intervention should be stopped, such as with baby Charlotte. Its the same with older people. There comes a point where nothing much more can be done and its crueler to keep them alive. Theres no way they should be left to die just because they were born before what we think of as viability, because that lowers all the time.
    i agree, if it had a chance then let it have it. However if there isn't much hope then its cruel to keep them alive. Its just the cruelty of nature.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i think sometimes are expectations are maybe to high but ...is that our fualt?

    Partly yes, partly it's the media and politicians raising expectations. There is also an element on doctors not being honest, or rather completely honest, with their patients. This could be about how lon the wait is for surgery, to the prognosis - something which some cancer specialists have a problem with.

    I have experience of patients ringing their GP for an appointment and then complaining that they will have to wait a couple of hours - or refusing to have the GP ring them back because his appointments are already full for the day...

    Some people have unrealistic expecation of what is possible. Some think that they will walk well the day after major knee surgery for example - then get upset when the consultant tell them the reality. Some think physiotherapy will cure their condition rather than just help them cope with it etc etc etc
    'we cannot provide everything' ...is this because ...despite all our clever inventions ...our technology ...we never seem to be clever enough or willing enough ...to create an economic system that can keep up with all our other ideas and achievements?

    Some of each really.

    Even if the technology exists, do we have the money?
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