Category | Criteria | Example of cases |
1 | Antenatal/postnatal diagnosis of a condition that is not compatible with long-term survival. | Bilateral renal agenesis anencephaly. |
2 | Antenatal/postnatal diagnosis of a condition which carries a high risk of significant morbidity or death. | Severe bilateral hydronephrosis with impaired renal function. Severe spina bifida. |
3 | Babies born at the margins of viability where intensive care has been deemed inappropriate. | Babies born at ≤23 weeks with bilateral haemorrhagic parenchymal infarct. |
4 | Postnatal clinical conditions with a high risk of severe impairment of quality of life and when the baby is receiving life support or may at some point require life support. | Severe hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy. |
5 | Postnatal conditions which result in the baby experiencing ‘unbearable suffering’ in the course of their illness or treatment. | Severe necrotising enterocolitis. |
PC, palliative care.