Voices of experience in periviable decision-making and artificial placenta technology

Boer, A.H.A. de (2025)

Doctoral Thesis

This thesis explores values considered important in decision-making at the limits of viability, and the emerging role of artificial placenta technology (APT). The first part emphasizes the values and intuitive reasoning that shape decisions about care for extremely premature infants after an extremely premature birth. It highlights the importance of personalized, transparent, and emotionally sensitive counselling. The second part addresses the ethical landscape of APT, including its moral implications, stakeholder concerns, and challenges related to the first in-human trials and the development of this technology.

• Prenatal decision-making
• Extreme prematurity
• Artificial placenta technology
• Values
• Shared decision-making
• Neonatal intensive care
• Counselling
• Qualitative research
• Stakeholder engagement
• Medical ethics
• Technology

• All authors: Boer, A.H.A. de
• Supervisor: Vries, M.C. de
• Co-supervisor: Verweij, E.J.T.; Geurtzen, R.
• Committee: Stiggelbout, A.M.; Graeff, N. de; Boode, W.P. de; Crombag, N.
• Qualification: Doctor (dr.)
• Awarding Institution: Faculty of Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden University
• Date: 2025-07-01
• ISBN (print): 9789465223773