Brain-Dead Pregnant Woman Kept on Life Support to Give Birth

The family of a brain-dead pregnant woman in Georgia is facing heartbreak and uncertainty after state law blocked their request to terminate the pregnancy.

Adrian Smith, 30, was nine weeks pregnant when she was hospitalized in early February with severe headaches. Doctors discovered multiple blood clots in her brain. Despite emergency surgery, Smith was declared brain-dead shortly afterward, according to her family.

Her mother told WXIA that doctors said they could not withdraw life support because of Georgia’s abortion restrictions. The state’s 2019 Living Infants Fairness and Equality (LIFE) Act prohibits abortion once fetal cardiac activity is detected, a threshold that typically occurs around six weeks of pregnancy.

Now, Smith remains on a ventilator as doctors keep her body functioning to carry the pregnancy to term. The hospital reportedly plans to maintain life support until the fetus reaches viability—around 32 weeks—despite the family’s wishes.

The move has received praise from state officials, including the lawmaker who sponsored the LIFE Act.

“I’m thankful the hospital recognizes the full value of the small human life living inside this tragically dying young mother,” the senator told the media. “We’re also mindful of the family’s pain.”

However, for Smith’s loved ones, the situation is deeply distressing. Her mother describes the ordeal as “torture,” watching her daughter’s body continue to breathe through machines for more than 90 days, though she shows no signs of consciousness.

“She’s not there,” Smith’s mother said. “I bring her firstborn son to visit her, but it’s like looking at a shell.”

Adding to the family’s anguish are medical concerns about the baby’s health. Doctors have warned that the child may face severe complications, including the possibility of being blind, unable to walk, or not surviving after birth.

“She’s pregnant with my grandson, but we don’t know what kind of life he’ll have,” the grandmother said. “And we’ll be the ones raising him.”

The family is also burdened by mounting medical costs, as each day on life support increases the financial strain.

“Every day brings more bills, more pain, and more unanswered questions,” Smith’s mother told the outlet. “This decision should have been ours.”

As the situation unfolds, it highlights the emotional, ethical, and legal complexities surrounding abortion laws and end-of-life care in states with strict bans.