The Valuation of Prenatal Life in Economic Evaluation's of Perinatal Interventions
Simon J., Petrou S., Gray A.
Perinatal interventions delivered during the prenatal period have the potential to directly impact prenatal life. The decision oil when to begin 'counting' the life of ail infant in the calculus has received little attention in previous economic evaluations of perinatal interventions. We illustrate, using data from a recent trial-based economic evaluation of magnesium sulphate given to women with pre-eclampsia to prevent eclampsia, how different definitions of when human life commences can have a significant impact upon cost-effectiveness estimates based oil composite Outcome measures such as life years or quality-adjusted life years gained or disability-adjusted life years averted. Further, we suggest ways in which methods in this area can be improved. Copyright (C) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.