An Oxford mother has condemned proposals for premature babies born after 22 weeks not to be routinely resuscitated.

The advice, part of a series of guidelines for doctors and parents dealing with premature babies, is in a report by the Nuffield Council on Bioethics.

The report, due to be published today, covers controversial ground concerning premature babies who have low chances of survival and high risks of disability.

It will offer guidance on how to resolve arguments between medical staff and parents over what happens to their child.

However, at this stage it is only a discussion document and the advice has not been adopted by the Department of Health.

Marianne Boyce, 39, of Ashurst Way, Rose Hill, whose baby son Liam was born after 26 weeks last December, said: "I have been following this debate quite closely because of what happened to us, and I think it is disgusting to give this advice.

"Even if babies are born at 22 weeks they should be given the same chance as any other baby to survive.

"They have the medical equipment to help the babies survive and staff who are trained to help, so I don't think there should be any kind of ruling.

"Liam survived after 26 weeks and he is a little fighter but there were babies in hospital with him who were even more premature.

"He is coming up to 11 months now and he is fine - he's rolling around and trying to crawl, just like a normal baby.

"There were times when he was in hospital in Reading when we thought he might not survive, but he's getting stronger and stronger.

"It makes me angry to hear suggestions that babies like Liam should not be given every chance of survival."

Liam's twin brother Anthony died in the womb. Mrs Boyce said her family was now looking forward to celebrating Liam's first birthday next month.

In March, Maria Neal, 35, from Abingdon, and Barbara Bagwell, from Kidlington, both of whom gave birth to premature babies, condemned proposals to follow Holland's lead in routinely denying intensive care to babies born under 25 weeks.

Babies are considered to be on the threshold in terms of their survival chances after 22 weeks.

A panel of experts has been considering the ethical, social and legal issues surrounding the care of very premature or seriously ill babies since 2004.

The Nuffield Council on Bioethics was established in 1991 to examine ethical questions raised by advances in biological and medical research.