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3h ago

Brain-Dead Georgia Nurse Delivers Baby Boy Before Support Is Withdrawn

Her family plans to withdraw support under Georgia’s six-week abortion ban, prompting questions about patient consent in life-or-death care.

Smith’s mother said her daughter had to stay on life support until she gave birth because of Georgia’s six-week abortion ban, which has narrow exceptions for rape, incest or the life or health of the pregnant person.
Adriana Smith, 31, developed a severe headache in February at nine weeks pregnant. It was a sign of blood clots in her brain.
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Overview

  • Adriana Smith was declared brain dead at eight weeks pregnant in February; doctors cited the LIFE Act’s restrictions to keep her on life support.
  • On June 13, an emergency C-section delivered her son Chance, who weighed 1 pound 13 ounces and is now in the neonatal intensive care unit.
  • Smith’s family has arranged for ventilator withdrawal on June 17, concluding a four-month effort to sustain her pregnancy.
  • Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr has stated that the LIFE Act does not require life support for brain-dead patients, underscoring legal ambiguity.
  • Smith’s mother says the family was denied authority over medical decisions, fueling debate over the law’s impact on end-of-life rights.