Latest news with #SisterSong
News18
16-05-2025
- Health
- News18
Brain-Dead Pregnant Woman Forced To Carry Foetus To Birth Due To Abortion Ban In US
Last Updated: The woman is currently 21 weeks pregnant, and removing breathing tubes and other life-saving devices would likely kill the foetus. A 30-year-old pregnant woman in Georgia, Adriana Smith, has been on life support for over three months after a medical emergency led to her being declared brain dead. Smith's mother, April Newkirk, said that her daughter was declared brain dead in February after a medical emergency, and doctors have told the family that they are not allowed to remove life support due to the state's strict anti-abortion law. According to the 'heartbeat law," once the cardiac activity is detected, which is generally around six weeks into pregnancy, abortion cannot be performed. Newkirk said her daughter is currently 21 weeks pregnant, and removing breathing tubes and other life-saving devices would likely kill the foetus. 'She's pregnant with my grandson. But he may be blind, may not be able to walk, may not survive once he's born," Newkirk said, expressing concern about the potential outcome for her grandchild. The situation highlights the complexities surrounding Georgia's abortion laws, particularly the requirement to prioritise foetal life. Supporters argue that unborn children deserve protection, with some interpreting this to mean preserving foetal life even when the mother is declared brain dead. Georgia state Sen. Ed Setzler, a Republican who sponsored the 2019 law, said he supports Emory's interpretation, stating, 'I think it is completely appropriate that the hospital do what they can to save the life of the child." Monica Simpson, executive director of SisterSong, a national activist organisation dedicated to reproductive justice for women of colour, criticised the situation, saying the family should have had the autonomy to make medical decisions for Adriana. 'Her family deserved the right to have decision-making power about her medical decisions. Instead, they have endured over 90 days of retraumatisation, expensive medical costs, and the cruelty of being unable to resolve and move toward healing." The law has faced criticism for its potential consequences, particularly in light of two tragic cases where women, Amber Thurman and Candi Miller, died due to complications from abortion medication, highlighting concerns about restricted access to timely medical care. Democrat Kamala Harris spoke out about the issue, saying that the deaths were the result of the abortion bans that went into effect in Georgia and elsewhere after the Dobbs decision. First Published: May 16, 2025, 22:22 IST
NDTV
16-05-2025
- Health
- NDTV
Brain-Dead Woman Forced To Carry Fetus To Birth In US Because Of Abortion Ban
Quick Reads Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed. Adriana Smith, a 30-year-old brain-dead pregnant woman in Georgia, remains on life support due to strict anti-abortion laws. Her family's struggle highlights the law's implications, raising concerns over medical decisions and potential outcomes for her fetus. A 30-year-old pregnant woman in Georgia, Adriana Smith, has been on life support for three months after being declared brain dead, sparking a complex and contentious situation. According to her mother, April Newkirk, Smith was declared brain dead in February after a medical emergency, and doctors have told the family that they are not allowed to remove life support due to the state's strict anti-abortion law. The law, known as the "heartbeat law," restricts abortion once cardiac activity is detected, which is generally around six weeks into pregnancy. Newkirk said her daughter is currently 21 weeks pregnant, and removing breathing tubes and other life-saving devices would likely kill the fetus. "She's pregnant with my grandson. But he may be blind, may not be able to walk, may not survive once he's born," Newkirk said, expressing concern about the potential outcome for her grandchild. The family's situation highlights the challenges and uncertainties surrounding Georgia's abortion ban, which confers personhood on a fetus. Those who favor personhood argue that fertilised eggs, embryos, and fetuses should be considered people with the same rights as those already born. Georgia state Sen. Ed Setzler, a Republican who sponsored the 2019 law, said he supports Emory's interpretation, stating, "I think it is completely appropriate that the hospital do what they can to save the life of the child." However, Monica Simpson, executive director of SisterSong, a national activist organisation dedicated to reproductive justice for women of colour, said, "Her family deserved the right to have decision-making power about her medical decisions. Instead, they have endured over 90 days of retraumatisation, expensive medical costs, and the cruelty of being unable to resolve and move toward healing." The law has been criticised for its potential consequences, including the story of two Georgia women who died after not receiving proper medical treatment for complications from taking abortion pills. The deaths of Amber Thurman and Candi Miller have been cited as examples of the devastating consequences of abortion bans. Democrat Kamala Harris spoke out about the issue, saying that the deaths were the result of the abortion bans that went into effect in Georgia and elsewhere after the Dobbs decision.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Georgia Abortion Law Forces Brain-Dead Woman To Stay On Life Support For Months
Family members of Adriana Smith, a brain-dead woman in Georgia, say their choice to end Smith's life support has been out of reach for three months and counting because she is pregnant — and doctors in the state are legally obligated to try to deliver a baby that can survive outside the womb. Georgia is one of several states with extreme health care laws on the books that make it illegal to end a pregnancy in nearly all cases. Smith's mother, April Newkirk, described her daughter's condition this week to Atlanta news station 11Alive as their medical bills stack up while they are unable to fully mourn their loss. 'She's been breathing through machines for more than 90 days,' Newkirk told the outlet. 'It's torture for me. I see my daughter breathing, but she's not there. And her son, I bring him to see her.' The family comes to visit daily, the outlet reported, adding that Smith's young son has been told his mother is sleeping. Newkirk said she has been told there is fluid on the unborn baby's brain, meaning it is not clear what kind of life the child would have. 'She's pregnant with my grandson. But he may be blind, may not be able to walk, may not survive once he's born,' Newkirk said. She told 11Alive that her daughter, a 30-year-old nurse, had sought medical care from Atlanta's Northside Hospital after experiencing strong headaches in February. 'They gave her some medication, but they didn't do any tests. No CT scan,' Newkirk said. She said that doctors should have figured out that blood clots in Smith's brain were causing the headaches and should have kept her at the hospital overnight to monitor her condition. Instead, she was sent home, only to be rushed back to the hospital the next morning. Doctors later declared her brain-dead. Georgia's abortion ban, passed in 2019, went into effect after the Supreme Court eliminated the nationwide right to abortion protections in 2022. With very limited exceptions, it prevents doctors from ending a pregnancy after around six weeks. Smith's mother told 11Alive that Smith is at around 21 weeks' gestation. The point at which a fetus can survive outside the womb is usually considered to be 32 weeks, so medical workers are expected to induce labor in the unconscious woman then. Reproductive rights advocates including the group SisterSong sued the state of Georgia over its harsh abortion ban in 2022; the case is still pending in state district court due to legal questions over the parties' standing. One of the lead plaintiffs, SisterSong Executive Director Monica Simpson, said in a statement that 'it is deadly to be Black and pregnant in a state where reproductive care is limited and criminalized.' 'Nearly half of Georgia's counties are reproductive care deserts, all while looming Medicaid cuts threaten to worsen access to care. Adriana Smith was a mother, daughter, and nurse who deserved a healthy pregnancy,' Simpson continued. 'First, Adriana deserved to be trusted by her health care professionals. Second, her family deserved the right to have decision-making power about her medical decisions. Instead, they have endured over 90 days of retraumatization, expensive medical costs, and the cruelty of being unable to resolve and move toward healing.' Missouri Republicans Bring Abortion Back To The Ballot In Spite Of Abortion-Rights Amendment Josh Hawley Introduces Law To Ban Mailing Of Abortion Pills, Citing Junk Science Report Republicans Have A 'Catastrophic' Plan Buried In Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill'
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Georgia Abortion Law Forces Brain-Dead Woman To Stay On Life Support For Months
Family members of Adriana Smith, a brain-dead woman in Georgia, say their choice to end Smith's life support has been out of reach for three months and counting because she is pregnant — and doctors in the state are legally obligated to try to deliver a baby that can survive outside the womb. Georgia is one of several states with extreme health care laws on the books that make it illegal to end a pregnancy in nearly all cases. Smith's mother, April Newkirk, described her daughter's condition this week to Atlanta news station 11Alive as their medical bills stack up while they are unable to fully mourn their loss. 'She's been breathing through machines for more than 90 days,' Newkirk told the outlet. 'It's torture for me. I see my daughter breathing, but she's not there. And her son, I bring him to see her.' The family comes to visit daily, the outlet reported, adding that Smith's young son has been told his mother is sleeping. Newkirk said she has been told there is fluid on the unborn baby's brain, meaning it is not clear what kind of life the child would have. 'She's pregnant with my grandson. But he may be blind, may not be able to walk, may not survive once he's born,' Newkirk said. She told 11Alive that her daughter, a 30-year-old nurse, had sought medical care from Atlanta's Northside Hospital after experiencing strong headaches in February. 'They gave her some medication, but they didn't do any tests. No CT scan,' Newkirk said. She said that doctors should have figured out that blood clots in Smith's brain were causing the headaches and should have kept her at the hospital overnight to monitor her condition. Instead, she was sent home, only to be rushed back to the hospital the next morning. Doctors later declared her brain-dead. Georgia's abortion ban, passed in 2019, went into effect after the Supreme Court eliminated the nationwide right to abortion protections in 2022. With very limited exceptions, it prevents doctors from ending a pregnancy after around six weeks. Smith's mother told 11Alive that Smith is at around 21 weeks' gestation. The point at which a fetus can survive outside the womb is usually considered to be 32 weeks, so medical workers are expected to induce labor in the unconscious woman then. Reproductive rights advocates including the group SisterSong sued the state of Georgia over its harsh abortion ban in 2022; the case is still pending in state district court due to legal questions over the parties' standing. One of the lead plaintiffs, SisterSong Executive Director Monica Simpson, said in a statement that 'it is deadly to be Black and pregnant in a state where reproductive care is limited and criminalized.' 'Nearly half of Georgia's counties are reproductive care deserts, all while looming Medicaid cuts threaten to worsen access to care. Adriana Smith was a mother, daughter, and nurse who deserved a healthy pregnancy,' Simpson continued. 'First, Adriana deserved to be trusted by her health care professionals. Second, her family deserved the right to have decision-making power about her medical decisions. Instead, they have endured over 90 days of retraumatization, expensive medical costs, and the cruelty of being unable to resolve and move toward healing.' Missouri Republicans Bring Abortion Back To The Ballot In Spite Of Abortion-Rights Amendment Josh Hawley Introduces Law To Ban Mailing Of Abortion Pills, Citing Junk Science Report Republicans Have A 'Catastrophic' Plan Buried In Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill'
