Clinically dead Irishwoman being used as human incubator

[FayKorgasm]

I am on my phone so cannot link but I was reading an article about a pregnant Irish woman who is clinically dead being kept alive against her next of kins wishes. The Irish constitution gives equal right to life of both woman and foetus.

Very sad situation made a million times worse .

What that article raises for me is the horrible prospect of a worst of both worlds scenario, in which they won't be able to allow the mother to die until the foetal heart stops beating, even though they accept there's no chance of a live birth.

www.rte.ie/news/2014/1223/668596-motherbaby/

The above is a report from RTE which refers to her poor children. It is so sad and the impact it is having is just terrible.

Yes Amethyst that's a fear I would have too. Another terrible possible outcome in the RTE article is the concern of one of Ireland's leading obstetricians (who has argued on a number of occasions for the repeal of the constitutional amendment that has resulted in this vase) the unborn could be born extremely prematurely due to the mother's body suffering a severe infection. This could result in the worst of all worlds, where you could have an extremely sick premature newborn with severe difficulties.

The likelihood is that this will have to be argued all the way to the Supreme Court, although I have read that the judges are on standby to hear the case as swiftly as possible.

It's just prolonging the heartbreak for the family, it's a truly awful situation.

Her family must be in absolute hell

The woman’s partner told the court he is the father of all her children, including the unborn child, and he supported the application to cease the life support. He was also aware that, if the life support continued, there was no medical evidence the unborn would survive.

I'm just bolding this quote from the Irish Times article for all those above who maintained, incorrectly, that the father wanted this horrific situation to continue.

Some more medical detail here; it's graphic and upsetting.

www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/life-support-for-brain-dead-mother-going-from-the-extreme-to-the-grotesque-court-told-30859431.html

If ever there was a case of the law of unintended consequences it is this.
The Government, the Church and whoever voted for that 8th amendment should be deeply ashamed of themselves.

But, rare though this case is, it is what can happen if a foetus is given equal status with the life of the mother.

Reading the medical evidence I'm not even sure the foetus will survive until the ruling is handed down on from the High Court, even less likely when the case may have to go to the Supreme Court. It's so cruel.

This case only further highlights the need to change the law. How much longer will it take, how many more awful cases does there need to be before action is taken?

How awful.

God, that Independent story has made me feel sick. That poor, poor woman.

That poor woman and her family. I hope they let her rest in peace.

It is absolutely the wrong thing to do and hopefully the 8th will be repealed before we have yet another case. I hope her family can somehow come to terms with what the state has done.

It says that there is legal representation that will be heard for all parties, including the dead woman and the foetus. I don't understand that - they are in no position to say what they want and so how can they have legal representation?

The other thing I don't understand is that if this has gone to judges to be decided then some of the arguments must be for keeping her on support and trying to deliver the baby in however many weeks. So who is that argument being put forward by? The state? Because if they all agree there's no problem is there. So who is pressing the argument against ceasing support?

Wouldn't you think these fuckers would have learnt a lesson from that poor women who was miscarrying and died because they wouldn't carry out the procedure to end the miscarriage quickly as there was still a foetal heart.
Every case I hear like this reminds why I don't trust religion. The attitude of the church to women really sucks.

I mean they are in no position to even want anything - one is dead and one is not sentient.

It's bizarre.

The whole thing is just utterly ghoulish and horrendous. My mind boggles at all the people on this thread or was it the other thread who say that keeping her going is a great thing and "a gift".

Don't a lot of religious zealots think things that are "against nature" aren't any good? Isn't this often used as a reason for oppressing gay people and women and stuff? And yet this is a great thing and I can't think of anything more against nature TBH. It's grotesque. She is DEAD FFS.

As someone who was very unwell during pregnancy whilst living in Ireland the 8th amendment terrified me, a fetus should not have equal status.
Anyone that would vote against repealing the 8th should read that Indo article & see exactly what it means in practice.
The poor woman & her family it's bloody horrific.

As I said on the thread on AIBU,it seems a lot are under the impression she is like sleeping beauty instead of her body trying to decompose.

Yes FayKorgasm I think that was the widespread view before the medical issues became clear today. I think because a lot of people can survive in a coma for a long period of time there was a view that this was somehow the same. Instead this woman has no brain function at all and is already dead. It is a truly terrible situation for all concerned.

Has the mood on the AIBU changed since more about the condition of the body has been released?

I think the AIBU thread has come to a stop more or less, very few posts since the weekend.

I wasn't going to come on this thread again as it's very upsetting. However, I did read more details today and now don't agree with this woman being kept alive for quite a lot more weeks. It's wrong.

The Courts have now made their ruling, and the machines can be switched off

Very glad to hear this. Finally some common sense being applied. RIP to the lady and her baby.

A good ruling.