Two researchers wrote the following in a medical journal:
“Extremely low birth weight infants who require prolonged, often futile sojourns in neonatal intensive care units or who have poor long-term outcomes have been major consumers of healthcare resources and in some cases a major drain on health maintenance organizations. The allocation of limited resources may in the future mean denying care to some of these infants.”
EWD Young and DK Stevenson “Limiting Treatment for Extremely Premature Low Birth Weight Infants (500 – 750 g)” American Journal of Diseases of Children 1990 144:549
“Poor long-term outcomes” usually translates into a baby having a disability. These researchers suggest letting premature babies die so as not to take up medical resources.
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