Forums → WEPR → End-Of-Life Decisions
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This thread is for discussing end-of-life directives and the implications (moral, legal, ethical, etc) surrounding them.
As a starting topic,
In Texas, a pregnant woman was found unconscious in her home. She was taken to a hospital, physically revived and put on life support. The fetus is showing signs of activity. However, she was declared brain dead, which is considered legally dead and medically dead. Against her proclaimed wishes and those of her next-of-kin (husband) and her parents, she remains on life support due to a state law that says, "A person may not withdraw or withhold life-sustaining treatment under this subchapter from a pregnant patient." She is being used as an incubator without her consent.
[source]
What do you make of this case? Is the hospital doing the right thing? What should be done?
- 32 Replies
It's disappointing how long this took. So judging from the link, She would of been 20-22 weeks pregnant at the end of this. Not aware on the legal limits if you were to get abortions on this. I do think it would be less than 20 weeks. If the life support was switched off as requested then all could of been avoided.
I don't blame to doctors for putting on life support to save an unborn child. However even if it is the right thing to do. The wishes of the people close to her are to be understood even if it is wrong or not. No point upsetting people further and helping people who don't want it. Not to mention if the unborn baby was born not sure how the life would of been.
the only way i would find it ok is if her being on life support is needed to let the fetus grow then cut it out when its done growing into the baby stage. if thats not needed and they have an alternate way of growing the fetus without the mothers body somehow, then do that and take her off life support
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