Ethics problems in neonatal medicine

In view of the recent advances in reanimation of the newborn infant, parents, physicians and nursing staff have now to face the ethical dilemma of the quality of the surviving infant with severe brain damage which excludes a further normal development. The author discusses the situation of an infant with trisomy 21 and a total intestinal atresia: a surgical intervention leads to a living human being with a severe mental, and physical handicap; a non-intervention will let the newborn die even if he could be saved. The decision has to be made with the parents in agreement with the nursing staff, but without involving a policy making outside committee.