End-of-life decisions in neonates and infants: a nationwide mortality follow-back survey.

Objectives: Neonatology has undergone important clinical and legal changes; however, the implications for end-of-life decision-making in seriously ill neonates to date are unknown. Our aim was to examine changes in prevalence and characteristics of end-of-life decisions (ELDs) in neonatology.

Methods: We performed a nationwide mortality follow-back survey in August 1999 to July 2000 and September 2016 to December 2017 in Flanders, Belgium.