[The mother-infant encounter at birth must be protected].

The medical decision to separate a newborn baby from his or her mother is frequent. This medical practice must be evaluated. The scientific literature regarding humans and other mammals was reviewed in order to describe the physiology of the interactions between mother and offspring and the consequences of disrupting their interactions around birth.

The French Society of Neonatology's proposals for neonatal end-of-life decision-making.

Background: Opinions and practice regarding end-of-life decisions in neonatal medicine show considerable variations between countries. A recent change of the legal framework, together with an ongoing debate among French neonatologists, led the French Society of Neonatology to reconsider and update its previous recommendations.

Objectives: To propose a set of recommendations on the ethical principles to be respected in the making and application of end-of-life decisions.