Family Research Council (FRC) and Dr. Michael New, Assistant Professor of Social Research at The Catholic University of America, have released initial findings from a joint study on perinatal hospice programs. The study surveyed 82 mothers who participated in 11 different perinatal hospice programs.
The research found that perinatal hospices provide several resources to women, such as counseling, sonograms, prayer, support groups, and assistance with creating a birth plan. Most women reported these services as “very helpful.” According to the survey results, 83 percent of participants described the emotional support from the hospice as “very supportive,” while 79 percent said there was nothing unhelpful in the grieving process.
The study also revealed that 55 percent of mothers were advised by doctors to end their baby’s life after receiving an adverse diagnosis. However, only 19 percent received information about perinatal hospice at that time.
After participating in perinatal hospice services, 86 percent of women felt “very much” confident in their decision to carry their pregnancy to term. None reported being “not at all confident.”
Dr. Jennifer Bauwens, Director of the Center for Family Studies at FRC, stated: “Our study addressed a large gap in the scientific literature by asking about the experiences of women who decided to carry their child to term in the face of an adverse perinatal diagnosis and advice to abort. Both receiving an adverse perinatal diagnosis and losing a child can cause tremendous grief that is not always acknowledged by the general public. Our findings suggest perinatal hospices are a source of support for women facing this challenging road.”
Dr. Michael New commented: “Increasing the awareness of perinatal hospice among policymakers, healthcare professionals, and the general public is an important and worthwhile goal for the pro-life movement. It will give women who obtain adverse prenatal diagnosis more options and will hopefully result in a higher percentage of these women making the life-affirming choice of perinatal hospice for both themselves and their preborn child.”
Mary Szoch, Director of FRC’s Center for Human Dignity, added: “The lives of people with disabilities, no matter how long or how short, are just as valuable as every other person’s. Americans must recognize this. Supporting perinatal hospice programs is a great place to start.”
The full report can be accessed at frc.org/perinatalhospice.
Additional commentary on related topics can be found at The Hill (https://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/4518894-bidens-tragic-misjudgment-disabled-lives-matter/) and National Review (https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/perinatal-hospice-a-compassionate-life-affirming-option/).
