The family of a woman who was kept on life support in order to give birth has issued a heartbreaking update on her baby.
Adriana Smith, 31, from Atlanta, Georgia, was declared brain-dead while on life support, but despite having no chance of making a recovery, she was kept alive in order to carry her baby to a stage where doctors could carry out a C-section.
In February of this year, Smith – who worked as a nurse and was mom to seven-year-old Chase – had a medical emergency, with doctors sadly later confirming that she was brain-dead in May.
Smith was nine weeks pregnant at this time, meaning that the medics were legally obligated to keep her alive to preserve the foetus due to Georgia’s ‘heartbeat law’.
In a GoFundMe post, her family said: “We had no say so regarding her lifeless body and unborn child.”
Adriana and her elder son Chase (GoFundMe)
Adriana’s son, Chance, was delivered prematurely by C-section in June, the month after she was declared brain-dead, weighing just 1lb 13oz, and was transferred to a neonatal intensive care unit.
That same month, Adriana was taken off life support, and her family were able to hold a funeral for her.
Since then, her mom, April Newkirk, has issued a heartbreaking update on the progress of Chance, who had to spend months in intensive care due to how premature he is.
She wrote: “It’s holiday season and I’m very down.
“Chance is 11 pounds still in the NIC unit and will not be coming home soon. He going to be moved to a different hospital for more help with his health, and I want everyone to know that I’m very grateful for your prays and help. Continue to pray because God has the final say so.”
An update from 14 October had included several photos of Chance, and stated that he was ‘growing well’.
It said: “Chances lungs are underdeveloped, so he will stay in the nicu unit until his breathing gets better.
“Chase saw his little brother by video. This was a touching moment, thank you all for your prayers and support. Keep praying.”
Adriana with her mom April (GoFundMe)
Since the repeal of Roe v Wade, abortion law in Georgia has become extremely strict.
Law in the state only permits the termination of a pregnancy in order ‘to save the pregnant person’s life’ or to ‘preserve’ their ‘physical health’, and ‘if the foetus is not expected to survive the pregnancy’.
There are also the ‘foetal personhood laws’, which state that a foetus is considered to have full legal rights as a person from the moment of conception.
If someone had switched off Adriana’s life support, they would have been breaking the law, as the pregnancy itself was not what was endangering her, and there was a sufficient chance that the foetus would survive the pregnancy.
The result of this was that Adriana was not permitted to die peacefully, and her family had to endure her passing being drawn out over several weeks.
A GoFundMe started to raise money for the family has since raised $547,670 of the $600,000 target at the time of writing.
If you want to donate to the fundraiser, you can do so here.
Featured Image Credit: April Newkirk/GoFundMe