Inconsistent perinatal palliative care access in Spain

In Spain, more than 5,000 families annually receive news that their baby has a fatal prognosis or a high probability of early death. However, healthcare responses are inconsistent across the country. Less than one-third of Spanish hospitals offer a complete perinatal palliative care program, and only half of those initiate care at the moment of diagnosis.

Medical professionals, including Dr. Ana Martín-Ancel from Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and Dr. Laura Muñoz Saá from Clínica Universidad de Navarra, highlight that the quality of care often depends on the specific hospital or the individual sensitivity of the attending professional rather than a structured system. Experts advocate for the creation of integrated, multidisciplinary teams—including obstetricians, neonatologists, psychologists, and social workers—to ensure care is institutionalized rather than reliant on professional goodwill.