Neonatal hospice care utilization in a tertiary hospital in Taiwan before and after the legalization of life-sustaining treatment withdrawal

Background: The advancements in neonatal critical care have not only improved the outcomes of extreme prematurity but also prolonged the process of death in terminally ill neonates. This study analyzed the characteristics of neonates who died at a single tertiary center in Taiwan. The utilization of neonatal hospice care before and after the legalization of life-sustaining treatment (LST) withdrawal in Taiwan in 2013 was also compared. Methods: This study enrolled the neonatal mortality cases in the Taipei Veterans General Hospital during January 2008 to December 2017 through chart review. Data on birth history, primary diagnosis, complications, and death circumstances were recorded and analyzed. Results: In total, 105 neonatal deaths were analyzed. The circumstances of death were as follows: 22 (21%) cases of full LST and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) performed until death; 63 (60%) cases of LST initiated but no more CPR after do-not-resuscitate (DNR) consents signed; 8 (7.6%) cases of LST withdrawn; 4 (3.8%) cases of DNR signed without LST initiation; 3 (2.9%) cases of CPR not performed, although no DNR signed; and 5 (4.8%) cases of discharge against medical advice under critical condition. The incidence of written DNR consents (57.9% in 2008-2009 vs 93.8% in 2016-2017; p = 0.02) showed an increasing trend. Regarding the incidence of comorbidities, renal failure rate was higher in the DNR group than in the non-DNR group (p = 0.002). Conclusion: There was an increasing trend for written DNR consent and the utilization of neonatal hospice care. Renal failure, as a comorbidity, was significantly associated with the written DNR consent in the neonates. Further studies to evaluate the factors associated with neonatal hospice care utilization are suggested.