Importance of communication between the physician and the patient for therapy during pregnancy and after childbirth. Case report and analysis of current legal status

The decision to terminate causative treatment greatly affects the course of treatment and the patient's future. There is a serious conflict when there is a significant difference in opinion about further treatment between the physician and the patient or his family. In the present paper, there is a case report of a child born with Down syndrome and a congenital heart defect in the form of an atrioventricular canal with the atresia of right ventricle and the defect of the aortic arch. The views of physicians and parents on the postnatal course of the treatment-prostaglandin supply, cardiac surgery-were different. The difference in opinion led to a dispute between the parties. Based on the principles used in palliative medicine, solutions have been developed that have facilitated the further care of the child. The paper presents an analysis of the legal situation in Poland in relationtothesituation.The parents’ opinion of the child has been presented. An attempt was also made to evaluate the ethical and legal actions taken in this case.