Culture palliative dans les services de maternité : focus sur la salle de naissance

Objectives. - To identify palliative care practices in delivery rooms in France.Method. - National multicentric and retrospective study conducted in 2015, in 549 French maternity wards.Results. - Two hundred and nineteen responded to the survey (response rate: 40%). Eighty-three percent of maternity wards are faced at least once a year with palliative care initiated in the delivery room. Moreover, 90% of maternity wards declare that palliative care is part of the mission of the professionals working in the delivery room. Regarding training, 44% of maternity wards have personnel trained in palliative care, and 65% have identified a need for training in their unit. Protocol for palliative care initiated in delivery room is available for 31% of maternity ward and 81% of protocols are less than 5 years old. On average, more than four professionals have participated in its creation. The majority of end-of life's practices are similar most maternity wards (put the babies in parent's arms or in "skin to skin" contact, creation of memory traces). Those using a protocol differ on pain assessment and consideration of the newborn's environment among other things.Conclusion. - Although maternity wards are rarely confronted with end-of-life situations, they are aware of the need for newborns end-of-life care. Palliative care practices are being developed in many establishments. The professionals involved recognize their role and their need for appropriate training. (C) 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.