• Berit Støre Brinchmann, Reidun Førde, and Per Nortvedt.
• Senter for medisinsk etikk Universitetet i Oslo Postboks 1130 Blindern 0318 Oslo. berit.stoere.brinchmann@hibo.no
• Tidsskr. Nor. Laegeforen. 2002 Sep 10;122(21):2098-101.

BackgroundThe study is concerned with parents' experience with life-and-death decisions concerning their premature infants in hospitals neonatal units. What are parents' attitudes towards their being involved in such decision-making?Material And MethodsDuring the 1997-2000 period, 20 qualitative interviews with 35 parents of 26 children were made. A qualitative, comparative method (grounded theory) was used for the analysis, which was carried out in parallel with data collection.ResultsParents are exposed to great mental pressure, which may bring about a sense of ambivalence and a wish to avoid responsibility. Most parents do not wish to have the final word in decisions concerning their infant's life or death. Such a responsibility is likely to make parents feel guilty and puts too heavy a burden on the parents, but parents wish to be informed and taken seriously in the decision making-process.InterpretationParents value health professionals' communication and information more than parent autonomy and right to choose.

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