A pregnant brain-dead woman in Georgia was kept on life support. Experts say it raises ethical, legal questions

A pregnant brain-dead woman in Georgia was kept on life support. Experts say it raises ethical, legal questions
ABC News; by Mary Kekatos; 6/19/25
Adriana Smith, a brain-dead woman in Georgia, was kept on life support until her fetus was viable. Experts say it raises ethical and legal questions. Adriana Smith, a 31-year-old Georgia nurse and mother, was just eight weeks pregnant when she was declared brain dead in February after suffering a medical condition. However, the family claims the hospital told them legally she had to be kept on life support to allow the fetus to grow. The family claims doctors told them they were not legally allowed to consider other options, according to local Atlanta station 11Alive. Last week, Smith's baby was born by emergency Caesarean section, weighing under 2 pounds and needing care in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), reported 11Alive.
Publisher's note: This situation raises numerous ethical end-of-life questions - highlighting the importance of hospices having or connecting with local ethics experts.