International Journal of
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Review Article Volume 12 Issue 1
Decision-making support for parents: continuation vs termination counselling in severe congenital anomalies (A narrative review from the paediatric surgeons’ perspective)
Prativa Choudhury, Prabudh Goel
Received: December 27, 2025 | Published: January 20, 2026
Citation: Choudhury P, Goel P. Decision-making support for parents: continuation vs termination counselling in severe congenital anomalies (A narrative review from the paediatric surgeons’ perspective). Pregnancy & Child Birth. 2026;12(1):1-8. DOI: 10.15406/ipcb.2026.12.00332
Abstract
When severe congenital anomalies are detected before birth, parents face an impossible choice: continue or terminate the pregnancy. Paediatric surgeons are often called in to help families navigate this decision. This review examines what works in these conversations, the principles, the challenges and the practical realities of supporting families through one of the hardest moments of their lives. The role of MORE (Management, Outcome, Risk, Expectation) classification in providing a structured framework without losing sight of the human element has been explored. Effective counselling involves giving families accurate information, acknowledging what is not known, respecting their values and supporting whatever decision they make.
Keywords: antenatal counselling, congenital anomalies, termination of pregnancy, decision-making, paediatric surgery, MORE classification
©2026 Choudhury, et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and build upon your work non-commercially.