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Prohibited abortionHer pregnant daughter is no longer, but we force her to keep her alive
Because the state of Georgia prohibits abortion, a thirty -something in brain death must be maintained alive until a fetus is viable.
Adriana Smith was already the mother of a little boy when the drama arrived.
YouTubeNurse at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta (Georgia), Adriana Smith was nine weeks pregnant when she started to suffer from violent headache in early February. The 30 -year -old American woman went to a hospital establishment, where drugs were prescribed before returning her to her house. “They did not do any tests, no scanner. If they had done it, they would have seen. They could have prevented this, ”said 11Alive His mother, April Newkirk.
The next morning, Adriana’s boyfriend found him by being suffocated in her sleep and making gargouillis sounds indicating internal hemorrhage. When the future mother arrived at the Emory university hospital, where she works, a scanner revealed the presence of many blood clots in her brain. “They asked me if I agreed to make an intervention to relieve the pressure, and I said yes. Then, they reminded me to tell me that they could not do it, explains Adriana’s mother.
The American, already a mother of a little boy, has been declared in brain death. For 90 days, her relatives take turns at her bedside. In accordance with the law of the state of Georgia, the family of the 30 -year -old has the obligation to keep her alive until the birth of her baby. “She breathes with machines. It is torture for me. I see my daughter breathing, but she is no longer there, ”says April. On Tuesday, Adriana was transferred to another hospital, better equipped for obstetric care.
The idea is therefore to keep the thirties alive up to 32 weeks of pregnancy, so that the fetus is viable. Adriana is currently at 21 weeks. In Georgia, abortion is prohibited as soon as a cardiac activity is detected, generally around the sixth week of pregnancy. The law provides for limited exceptions in the event of rape, incest or if the life of the mother is in danger. Adriana’s case is in a legal gray area. Because she is in brain death, the patient is no longer considered to be in danger. Medical staff are therefore legally required to keep it alive until the fetus reaches viability.
“I think each woman should have the right to make her own decision. And if it is not the case, their partner or their parents, ”says April. Doctors told Adriana’s family that her baby had liquid in the brain and that they are worried about her health. “She is pregnant with my grandson. But he risks being blind, not being able to walk, not to survive at birth. This decision should have returned to us. Now we wonder what kind of life he will have, and it is we who will raise him, ”concludes Adriana’s mother.
