Edge Of Life (BBC2): THE subtitle, Is This Baby's Life Worth Living?, gave an idea of the terrible dilemma at the heart of this exceptional documentary.

Two sets of parents were confronted with difficult, almost impossible, choices concerning premature babies. What was remarkable was their willingness to allow cameras to film them during their most intimate and vulnerable moments, whether it was in the delivery room or with doctors.

Maxine and Stuart were expecting their second child. Their first, Adie, was born four months prematurely and was not expected to live. He survived, although suffers from cerebral palsy and profound deafness.

Andy Shennan, professor of obstetrics at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital in London, spoke of the challenge of specialising in high risk pregnancies. Each year, St Thomas' deals with over 300 such cases from all over the country. He said candidly that the consequences of saving a premature baby's life are always uncertain. "For some individuals, it's not always a disaster," he said.

Clearly, Maxine and Stuart love Adie despite the constant care and worry that his condition causes. The couple feared it was going to happen all over again, as their second child was born four months early too. Cameras were by Stuart's side as the medical team tried to resuscitate newborn Riley. "That's the bit where my nerves go, when it's delivered, waiting for the first breath," he confessed.

Weighing just 780 grams, Riley was given a 50 per cent chance of survival.

The story was different but just as traumatic for Helen and Pete Carter. Baby Hannah was delivered at 28 weeks by emergency Caesarian because Helen had a potentially fatal condition. When there's a threat to both lives, doctors must decide who to put first, mother or baby.

Hannah was put in intensive care, leaving new mother Helen feeling helpless at not being able to hold her. Two weeks after her birth, a problem with her lungs was not improving. She didn't respond to treatment with drugs for a heart irregularity.

Doctors decided that heart surgery was necessary. "I feel quite hopeless to be honest but have to trust that the surgeons know what they are doing," said Helen. "I can't pick her up and hold her and say, 'I love you'. I can't wait for that day, I really can't."

With her condition deteriorating, steroid drugs were the last things doctors could offer, although they carried the risk of side effects. Her parents faced another decision about whether to give permission.

When Hannah suffered a cardiac arrest, they faced another agonising choice - whether it was appropriate to try to resuscitate her if it happened again.

"We have just felt such a mix of emotions this last week from worry, fear, peace, anger, confusion, grief, sadness and it's just amazing now," said Helen as her daughter made an unexpected recovery.

Doctors couldn't explain it. Pete called it a miracle. Five months after she was born, Hannah was finally taken home. A happy ending to a heartbreaking documentary.

Published: 03/12/2004