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Woman declared legally dead is being kept alive due to state’s abortion laws

236 replies

Youstolemygoddamnhouse · 17/05/2025 18:02

Anyone see this story?
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/15/pregnant-georgia-woman-brain-dead-abortion-law

TLTR
US women is being kept alive on life support due to abortion laws. Woman was 9 weeks pregnant when she became brain dead. Family have no say in the matter and do not want this. The foetus if it survives may have life long health conditions and suffer from brain damage. Family are also having to pay for medical fees occurred and also for future birth fees.

I am being unreasonable to say WTF. Where is the outcry about this? This actually happened in an episode of The Handmaid’s tale.

YABU - this is the law, law needs to be upheld even after death
YANBU - WTF. Women are not safe even after death.

Pregnant US woman declared brain dead is being kept alive under state abortion law

Doctors are keeping Adriana Smith on life support months after medical emergency until baby is ready, family says

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/15/pregnant-georgia-woman-brain-dead-abortion-law

OP posts:
Missey85 · 18/05/2025 12:10

LeavesOnTrees · 18/05/2025 07:55

Also call me a cynic, but I think one of the main reasons that rape and incest are exceptions in abortion laws is so men don't have to raise a child that is not theirs (if their wife or partner is raped by another man) and incest so the man's crimes are not so obvious.

I hate to break it to you but many states in America incest and rape doesn't matter they force them to carry the babies too 😡

LetsGoFlyAKiteee · 18/05/2025 11:21

There's a woman on Facebook whose page stumbled across before not sure how but her whole thing is about how brain dead is a lie and has many followers saying the same thing. Basically their view on this is the nan is trying to murder both her daughter and her granddaughter and also there's a few posts of the mother is going to wake up so why do they want to kill her...

Such a sad situation and especially as the choice of the family doesn't matter!! The case in Ireland sounded so horrific what was being done to try and keep her body going before sense came.

JHound · 18/05/2025 11:18

AthWat · 18/05/2025 09:12

The UK has been governed by a right wing party from 2010 to last year. So how have "the left" done anything in the UK?
Which laws are you talking about and who brought them in and when?

Edited

Have you not understood how it works yet?

The Left passes awful laws: The Left are accountable.

The Right passes awful laws: The Left are accountable.

No matter the issue, no matter who is in power: “It’s The Left’s Fault!”

Communitywebbing · 18/05/2025 09:14

Horrifying. There seems to be some confusion between abortion and accepting that the foetus of a woman who dies so early in the pregnancy is not viable.

AthWat · 18/05/2025 09:12

Riaanna · 18/05/2025 09:10

There’s been no change in laws in the Uk around sex? Ok.

The UK has been governed by a right wing party from 2010 to last year. So how have "the left" done anything in the UK?
Which laws are you talking about and who brought them in and when?

Riaanna · 18/05/2025 09:10

AthWat · 18/05/2025 09:07

The question was which countries has been governed by the left and enacted the laws that you don't like. I mean it's clearly not the UK.

There’s been no change in laws in the Uk around sex? Ok.

AthWat · 18/05/2025 09:07

Riaanna · 18/05/2025 06:52

Any and all watering down of sex based protections.

Edited

The question was which countries has been governed by the left and enacted the laws that you don't like. I mean it's clearly not the UK.

LeavesOnTrees · 18/05/2025 07:55

Also call me a cynic, but I think one of the main reasons that rape and incest are exceptions in abortion laws is so men don't have to raise a child that is not theirs (if their wife or partner is raped by another man) and incest so the man's crimes are not so obvious.

LeavesOnTrees · 18/05/2025 07:49

If you're dead, what does it matter?

Of course it matters. Her family can't organise a funeral to say goodbye and grieve her death. Instead they have to stand by whilst this horrendous medical experiment is carried out.

A lot of people express wishes of what they would like to happen after their death; organ donation, burial, cremation, scattering ashes in the mountains, donantion to medical science, whatever, it's about choice and respect for the one who has passed on.

I would argue (if you're giving foetuses rights), that an unborn baby has the right to be gestated in an alive mother. I'd say it's pretty fundamental.

CuriousKangaroo · 18/05/2025 07:42

Lamelie · 17/05/2025 18:17

Give over. I’m allowed an opinion.

Of course you’re allowed an opinion. But this is the consequence of your opinion. If you are unhappy with the consequences, then it is time to examine your opinion and whether you still hold it. There’s no shame in that.

Lovelysummerdays · 18/05/2025 07:37

YellowOrangePink · 18/05/2025 07:25

If you're dead, what does it matter?

I assume it matters to her family. Do you not think it’s hard for her 7 to visit her in hospital to see his mother knowing there is no hope for her.

YellowOrangePink · 18/05/2025 07:25

PermanentTemporary · 18/05/2025 07:04

Just a reminder that Malta has some of the most restrictive abortion laws in Europe and also has self identification of gender. There is absolutely nothing stopping a government of any type deciding that they're going to implement more restrictive abortion laws except constant vigilance. I'm as pro choice as its possible to be but I recognise that culture has more impact on the laws that get passed than the label on the government. Tbh the long history of posh British women of left and right being into eugenics has some influence on why we have the abortion and contraception culture we have. But it still means that the foundational freedom not to be used as an incubator whether dead or alive is ours.

If you're dead, what does it matter?

YellowOrangePink · 18/05/2025 07:24

JHound · 17/05/2025 22:31

”It’s your fault I hit you!”

Not comparable. It was never locked down because they wanted to hold voters hostage over it. Dreadful.

FedupofArsenalgame · 18/05/2025 07:20

GasperyJacquesRoberts · 17/05/2025 19:51

The laws are less "medical abortions are no longer acceptable" and more "any medical intervention that could knowingly lead to the death of a fetus is illegal". They were deliberately written to be both broad and blunt.

But surely it would be stopping the medical intervention of the mother? Don't understand this at all. Its not an abortion and it's not medical intervention that could lead to the death of a foetus by turning off a machine. In fact its just letting nature do its own thing

QuaintShaker · 18/05/2025 07:20

Riaanna · 17/05/2025 22:01

Nailed it.

Absolutely, a cracking impression of a dimwit.

PermanentTemporary · 18/05/2025 07:04

Just a reminder that Malta has some of the most restrictive abortion laws in Europe and also has self identification of gender. There is absolutely nothing stopping a government of any type deciding that they're going to implement more restrictive abortion laws except constant vigilance. I'm as pro choice as its possible to be but I recognise that culture has more impact on the laws that get passed than the label on the government. Tbh the long history of posh British women of left and right being into eugenics has some influence on why we have the abortion and contraception culture we have. But it still means that the foundational freedom not to be used as an incubator whether dead or alive is ours.

pinkfloralcurtains · 18/05/2025 06:56

Lamelie · 17/05/2025 18:17

Give over. I’m allowed an opinion.

And people are allowed to disagree with your opinion.

LeavesOnTrees · 18/05/2025 06:52

It's different if an emergency CS is performed to save a baby if the mother is dying or has died. She isn't being kept artificially going in order to incubabte the foetus.

A few PP have wondered why this case is considered so horrific, it's becuase a fœtus is being gestated in its dead mother's corpse. It's all very experimental and extremely unlikely this particular baby will ever be born alive.
The family do not consent and I don't think it should be allowed.

Riaanna · 18/05/2025 06:52

AthWat · 18/05/2025 00:12

Same question to you then. What countries have been governed by the left over the last 15 years and done these things that you claim "let the right in"?

Edited

Any and all watering down of sex based protections.

Cantsleepdontsleep · 18/05/2025 06:51

Lovelysummerdays · 17/05/2025 23:37

Possibly the ct scan it’s essentially a series of c rays and the radiation could harm the fetus thst said she could of worn an iron apron to protect the fetus if necessary.

Earlier diagnosis could of saved her life. I’m not sure if they’d routinely do a ct scan for a headache though there. I was in A&E with an awful headache once and I had no tests / ct scan. Then I developed stroke like symtoms so had to go back to be admitted and then I got a ct scan.

I think ideally everyone should have proper diagnostics but I don’t know if they didn’t go a ct scan as she was pregnant or if they didn’t think one was medically necessary.

good lord! You have no idea what you are talking about.

CT scans use X rays. You get a CT scan if clinically indicated and potential benefit out weighs risk. An ‘iron curtain’ (you mean a lead gown, although they are not made of lead any more), would not be helpful and could actually increase dose to the foetus.

Sounds like in your case, you didn’t initially
meet the threshold for a CT. When you represented with ‘stroke like symptoms’ you did. Also sounds like you hadn’t actually had a stroke or anything that was detected by the CT so your clinicians were entirely justified in their initial assessment and decision.

Gemkls · 18/05/2025 06:42

Under his eye

Youstolemygoddamnhouse · 18/05/2025 00:30

Youstolemygoddamnhouse · 18/05/2025 00:18

I work in healthcare (clinical role) so my job everyday we have ethics to think about. Of course there are guidelines and we try and do what is in the best interest for the patient. But it’s sometimes just not a black and white case. There are certainly many grey areas and whatever my personal view is I do my job professionally.

I agree with you about the length of time.And think I actually remember that case you’re talking about. She was quite late in the pregnancy? I believe that was the right thing to do, such a sad story but great the baby was saved.

Thank you, I just find it sad because I’ve had to watch my aunty become almost a shadow of herself due to the stress. It’s the remaining family that suffer the most in these cases.

Honestly that’s should a hard answer and never really thought about it before. I believe the mother should be able to make that decision I wouldn’t judge her for whatever she chose to do. There are babies that need transplants and in order to get them some babies sadly will die in order for it to happen. Morally we could question who are we to play God. But without transplants a lot of people would die. I think we’ve also gotten past that stage since we have IVF, life prolonging medication. For me personally, if I chose to have the baby and found out at a scan it would die soon after birth, no chance of survival would I go ahead with it as it could save other babies lives via transplants, then yes, possibly I would go ahead with it. For me though I wouldn’t want the baby to be in pain so if there was a chance they would feel pain after birth then no, I would get an abortion.

@Babyboomtastic

OP posts:
Youstolemygoddamnhouse · 18/05/2025 00:29

Someone2025 · 18/05/2025 00:02

Agree
25 years is crazy, do you mind me asking who is paying for this enormous cost of care

The UK taxpayer. Aunty also had to have her house modified so all his medical equipment would fit - hoists etc which was paid for. She also won a huge payout as he was under psychiatric care at the time and had escaped several times and went missing with the last escape ending in him trying to kill himself. This I’m very conflicted about.

OP posts:
Youstolemygoddamnhouse · 18/05/2025 00:18

I work in healthcare (clinical role) so my job everyday we have ethics to think about. Of course there are guidelines and we try and do what is in the best interest for the patient. But it’s sometimes just not a black and white case. There are certainly many grey areas and whatever my personal view is I do my job professionally.

I agree with you about the length of time.And think I actually remember that case you’re talking about. She was quite late in the pregnancy? I believe that was the right thing to do, such a sad story but great the baby was saved.

Thank you, I just find it sad because I’ve had to watch my aunty become almost a shadow of herself due to the stress. It’s the remaining family that suffer the most in these cases.

Honestly that’s should a hard answer and never really thought about it before. I believe the mother should be able to make that decision I wouldn’t judge her for whatever she chose to do. There are babies that need transplants and in order to get them some babies sadly will die in order for it to happen. Morally we could question who are we to play God. But without transplants a lot of people would die. I think we’ve also gotten past that stage since we have IVF, life prolonging medication. For me personally, if I chose to have the baby and found out at a scan it would die soon after birth, no chance of survival would I go ahead with it as it could save other babies lives via transplants, then yes, possibly I would go ahead with it. For me though I wouldn’t want the baby to be in pain so if there was a chance they would feel pain after birth then no, I would get an abortion.

OP posts:
AthWat · 18/05/2025 00:12

Riaanna · 17/05/2025 22:01

Nailed it.

Same question to you then. What countries have been governed by the left over the last 15 years and done these things that you claim "let the right in"?