Perceptions of Health Care Workers on Resuscitating Preterm Infants, a Single-Center Pilot Study

INTRODUCTION Neonatal resuscitation has evolved into a critical practice, improving survival rates for periviable infants. This pilot study explored the perceptions of medical students, pediatric residents, and attendings at our institution regarding resuscitation practices for periviable preterm infants, comparing their views on resuscitating a patient vs their own hypothetical child. METHODS This cross-sectional study surveyed health care workers on their perceptions of neonatal resuscitation for periviable infants. An anonymous REDCap survey included demographic questions, resuscitation practices, and Likert-scale questions about resuscitating a hypothetical child. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and χ2 tests, with a P value of less than .05 considered significant. The study received institutional review board–exempt status. RESULTS We surveyed 144 health care workers (72% response rate). Among the respondents, 75.6% were pediatricians, and 18% were medical students. Most respondents were aged 25–34 years (60.4%) and female (66.7%). Although 53% believed infants above 23 weeks should be resuscitated, only 24.3% supported resuscitating their own hypothetical infant at that gestational age. Most participants (84.7%) agreed that parental opinions should guide resuscitation decisions. Common reasons for supporting resuscitation included advancements in neonatology (66.6%) and the right to life (59%), whereas concerns about quality of life (84%) and parental impact (59.7%) were major reasons against resuscitation. A statistically significant difference (P < .05) was found between views on resuscitating patients and resuscitating their own hypothetical infants. CONCLUSION Health care workers’ perceptions of neonatal resuscitation differ significantly between patients and their own hypothetical child, highlighting the need to address personal biases in counseling and decision-making.