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Time of India
15-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Can an unborn baby survive if the mother is brain dead? The science behind such critical cases explained
A recent case from Georgia has drawn attention to a complex medical and ethical issue: a brain-dead pregnant woman being maintained on life support so her unborn child can reach viability. Adriana Smith, 30, was nine weeks pregnant when she was admitted to the hospital with severe headaches. Unfortunately, no tests were conducted initially, and by the following morning, she became unresponsive. A subsequent CT scan revealed multiple blood clots in her brain, leading doctors to declare her brain dead, reported 11 Alive. Due to Georgia's Heartbeat Bill, which prohibits abortion after cardiac activity is detected in an embryo—usually around six weeks—Adriana is being kept on life support until the baby can be delivered. Adriana's mother, April Newkirk, expressed profound heartbreak over the situation. She described her daughter as "breathing, but unresponsive" and voiced her concerns about the unborn child's health, fearing he "may be blind, may not be able to walk, may not survive once he's born." This case has reignited debate on what science can achieve, legal constraints, and the outcomes for babies born under such extraordinary circumstances. Medical History and Precedents Cases involving brain-dead pregnant women maintained on life support are rare but not unheard of. A study published in the International Journal of Critical Illness & Injury Science reviewed 30 such cases between 1982 and 2010. Out of these, only 12 infants survived the neonatal period, indicating the complexity and risks involved. Previously, medical decisions largely depended on the fetus's gestational age when brain death was declared. However, advances in critical care now allow for sustaining maternal bodily functions regardless of pregnancy stage, making gestational age less of a limiting factor in decision-making. One notable success was documented in the journal Cureus, describing a 31-year-old woman declared brain dead at 22 weeks pregnant. After 11 weeks of life support, a cesarean section at 33 weeks resulted in the birth of a healthy infant. Similarly, the American Journal of Case Reports described a brain-dead woman at 16 weeks gestation kept on life support for 117 days, with the child showing good health outcomes one year after birth. A systematic review in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology further highlighted that with proper medical care, most infants born under such conditions had favorable outcomes. Challenges in Maintaining Pregnancy and Fetal Health The key factor influencing infant survival is the gestational age at the time of the mother's brain death. Survival rates improve significantly with later gestational ages—approximately 20–30% at 24 weeks, 80% at 28 weeks, and nearly 98% at 32 weeks. Sustaining a brain-dead mother on life support comes with major challenges. Complications like infections, hormonal imbalances, and cardiovascular instability can threaten both maternal somatic functions and fetal development. The mother's body may struggle to maintain sufficient blood pressure and oxygen supply, which can cause fetal hypoxia and ischemia, potentially leading to long-term neurological damage. Nutritional support for the fetus is another concern, as a brain-dead mother might not properly digest or absorb nutrients, complicating efforts to sustain the pregnancy. Additionally, the inability to sustain the pregnancy full-term often results in premature birth, raising the risk of complications for the infant. While medical advances have made it possible to maintain brain-dead pregnant women on life support to allow fetal development, the situation remains fraught with medical, ethical, and legal challenges.
Scottish Sun
01-05-2025
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Girl, 17, ‘frothed at the mouth' and died just three days after catching ‘spring cold' that ‘infected her brain'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A TEENAGE girl tragically died just three days after testing postive for a 'spring cold' which travelled up to - and killed off - parts of her brain. The otherwise healthy 17-year-old from China initially had a fever that lasted for three days, before suddenly developing seizures. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 The healthy teenage girl developed a brain infection after catching Covid Her limbs began convulsing, her eyes rolled back, she foamed at the mouth and became severely confused. She was rushed to a local hospital, where doctors suspected a viral infection. A swab test confirmed Covid-19. As her symptoms got worse, a CT scan showed worrying brain swelling. An MRI later revealed even more devastating news - parts of her brain had died. Doctors treating her suspected acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE), a rare but severe complication of viral infections. It happens when the virus infects the brain causing brain damage. If not treated quickly, it can be fatal. Despite their efforts to slow down the progression of the condition with antiviral drugs, high-dose steroids, and intensive care, her symptoms got worse. By the time she was transferred to the neurological intensive care unit, her vital signs were rapidly deteriorating, and she was put on a ventilator to help her breathe. Hours later, her brainstem reflexes stopped, her pupils became unresponsive, and she never regained consciousness. Just 29 hours after becoming critically ill, she went into cardiac arrest, which is when the heart stops beating suddenly, and died. Tropical virus turned out ot be brain tumour "Neurological manifestations are increasingly recognised as significant complications of Covid-19 infection," the medical team The First People's Hospital of Changde City, wrote in the American Journal of Case Reports. Covid is now so common - and symptoms often so mild - that many mistake it for a typical seasonal sniffle. But in rare cases, like any virus, it can still lead to unexpected and life-threatening complications, sometimes with little warning. Some patients have developed sudden neurological issues, severe inflammation, or even organ failure - often days after what seemed like a minor infection. Globally, Covid-19 cases have been rising. Figures from the World Health Organization (WHO) suggest new cases increasing by 80 per cent over the past month. Test positivity rates in some regions, like Europe, are exceeding 20 per cent according to Euronews. Meanwhile, recent data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), as of April 2025, suggests Covid cases are creeping up, with test positivity in hospitals having risen from 4.2 per cent to 4.9 per cent in just two weeks. And while hospital admissions remain low, this new study suggests the virus could have extreme effects, for some people.
