Overview

• Adriana Smith, a 30-year-old woman in Georgia, was declared brain dead in February 2025 but remains on life support due to the state's 'Heartbeat Law.'
• The law, which prohibits abortion after a detectable fetal heartbeat, is being interpreted by the hospital as requiring life support until the fetus reaches viability, currently projected around the 32nd week of pregnancy.
• Smith's family, led by her mother April Newkirk, opposes the decision, arguing that the hospital misapplied the law and that the choice should have been theirs.
• Medical ethicists, including Professor Katie Watson, contend the law does not apply to brain-dead individuals and criticize the hospital's interpretation.
• The case highlights ongoing tensions over abortion laws in the post-Roe era, with parallels to the 2013 Marlise Muñoz case in Texas, where court intervention ultimately ended life support for a brain-dead pregnant woman.