Imagine a story where a pregnant nurse, declared brain-dead, is being kept on life support to save her unborn child. This real-life case raises deep bioethical questions about the value of human life, the importance of unborn life, and the boundaries of medical intervention. How far should medicine go in such situations?
Meet Adriana Smith, a 30-year-old nurse who was nine weeks pregnant with her second child when tragedy struck in February 2025. After suffering a thromboembolic event, she was diagnosed as brain-dead and is currently being sustained on life support to continue the pregnancy until the baby reaches a viable stage for birth.
Adriana Smith (SPECIAL)
Adriana’s journey began with severe headaches, leading to her untimely death from a cerebral thrombosis. Despite the tragic circumstances, doctors at Emory University Hospital decided to maintain her on life support to protect the life of her unborn child.
The ultimate goal is to prolong the pregnancy until 32 weeks, giving the baby a high chance of survival outside the womb. With 11 weeks still to go, the medical team is working tirelessly to reach this critical milestone.
Complicating matters further, Georgia’s stringent state law, influenced by recent legal changes, prohibits abortion once fetal cardiac activity is detected at around six weeks. This legal framework played a significant role in the decision to continue the pregnancy.
Adriana’s family is grappling with the lack of involvement in medical decisions and the financial strain of extensive hospital costs. In a bid to ease their burden, they have initiated a fundraising campaign to support Adriana and her unborn child.
Exploring the Bioethical Quandary
In previous discussions, our Observatory has delved into the complex ethical dilemmas arising from cases like Adriana’s.
One of the central challenges lies in the viability of the fetus in a pregnancy sustained after the mother’s brain death. While there have been documented cases of successful outcomes in such scenarios, they remain exceptional and medically intricate.
Despite the risks involved, the inherent value of the unborn child’s life demands protection. Given the advanced stage of fetal development in this case, the decision to maintain the pregnancy until viability is a morally sound choice.
Respecting the dignity of the deceased mother is vital, ensuring her body is not exploited, while prioritizing the defense of the unborn child’s life, the most vulnerable party in this situation. Every effort to secure the baby’s birth is a testament to the sanctity of human life.
Rejecting requests for abortion based on fears of potential complications or the financial strain, the focus remains on upholding the principle of safeguarding physical life in personalist bioethics. This principle places the intrinsic value of human life above all other considerations, emphasizing the importance of protecting life at every stage.
Julio Tudela – Cristina Castillo – Bioethics Observatory – Life Sciences Institute – Catholic University of Valencia
