Publications | February 19th, 2026

Are guidelines needed? International perspectives on decisionmaking and practice variation in the care of extremely preterm infants

Outcomes for extremely preterm infants (EPIs) remain highly uncertain, making decisions about initiating intensive care or providing palliative care particularly complex and ethically demanding. Although many countries have developed perinatal care protocols to guide these decisions, substantial global variation persists—both in clinical outcomes and in the structure and content of guidelines. Moreover, even when formal guidance exists, its interpretation and implementation often differ in daily practice.

We are proud to highlight the recently published paper by ESPR member and ESPR mentee Dr. Rosa Geurtzen, entitled "Are guidelines needed? International perspectives on decision-making and practice variation in the care of extremely preterm infants", published in the Journal of Perinatology.