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Thanks for the link, Suzy. That is actually more optimistic than I would have thought. I certainly hope this baby - if he or she comes into this world alive - has such a positive outcome!
In the interest of not hi-jacking the thread discussing the 13 year old brain dead girl in CA, I'm starting a new thread for this similar case though many of my comments and questions concern both cases.
This Texas case involves a 33 year old woman who was 14 weeks pregnant with her second child when she suffered a pulmonary embolism on November 26th that resulted in massive brain damage. Her parents and husband say that she has been declared brain dead (I could not find confirmation from the hospital on this) and would like her to be removed from the ventilator. Apparently Texas is one of 12 states that won't allow a pregnant woman to be removed from a ventilator if the fetus is still alive.
I think the debate in this case is whether or not the Texas law applies if the mother is brain dead and not merely in a vegatative state. Again - the family states that she has been declared brain dead, but the hospital has not publicly confirmed that statement.
They talk about keeping her in this condition until the fetus is 24 weeks gestation and then making decisions about delivery then. Clearly, 24 weeks is still very high-risk for a premature baby to be born and who knows how long the mother (and therefore the fetus) were without oxygen prior to resuscitation.
Given what has been said about Jahi McMath's body and the effects of long-term ventilation for a brain dead person, it is hard for me to understand how a brain dead woman's body could sustain the life of a growing fetus. I imagine that she is receiving some sort of parenteral nutrition but it still seems like her body would break down and the fetus would be compromised (further compromised).
This woman's husband and parents are in agreement that they want the ventilator discontinued and state that the woman had made her wishes clear to her husband that she would not want to be maintained on life support (they were both EMTs so it is reasonable to think that they would have had such discussions). It does not appear that the family has sought legal action at this point.
pinetreelover,
First, I want to thank you for starting a separate thread I must admit ignorance about this unfortunate situation for this female EMT. Many factors are different, from what I've read here vs. the teen in Oakland.
Secondly, has a Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM) physician offered an opinion?
I have some reading to do to get caught up.
I hope I can contribute something to this thread as you have to the Oakland teen's.
I also hope those who don't work in medical/hospital settings can better understand some of what dedicated health care workers face and can't talk about with others.
Finally, I think education, education, education is how we get juries who understand more and possibly state laws changed. I thank you for continuing the discussion about brain death, as gruesome as that may seem to some. IMHO, it's the only way some of us will think about the issue and have much needed discussions with loved ones.
I call BS on the husband's statement. The woman did NOT "make her wishes clear" in the scenario of being PREGNANT. Or he would have said so. It's not exactly the type of conversation that one would have without qualifiers. (ie how many months pregnant might impact her decision
And to me, the fact that there are no quotes from the parent/husband about the baby's state and the possibility of raising the baby also makes me suspect of them all. NOT that it's an easy thing, but this story is lacking alot of detail.
The state is right to do it's duty to protect the life of an innocent third party that has no voice of it's own.
Texas is one of the states that has decided not to participate in ACA. Over a million Texas children do not have health insurance. 1.2 million Texas children still without insurance - Houston Chronicle People in Texas, children included, die all the time due to lack of decent health care.
Texas executes people on steady schedule. Eight people are on the docket to be executed by the end of May. Death Row Information
So the contention that Texas believes in protecting lives, even the lives of children, flies in the face of facts.
This appears to more of that anti-abortion, a fetus-is-a-person, stir-up-the-RW-base stuff. It has little to do with protecting the life of a potential child.
You watch. Texas' interest in protecting this child will wane considerably after birth.
The hypocracy is appalling. They ought to be ashamed of themselves.
Talk about walking a fine line. I guess it's only a fetus when it's a burden, and a human when it's wanted (Laci Peterson, anyone?). How absolutely sad.
Texas is one of the states that has decided not to participate in ACA. Over a million Texas children do not have health insurance. 1.2 million Texas children still without insurance - Houston Chronicle People in Texas, children included, die all the time due to lack of decent health care.
Texas executes people on steady schedule. Eight people are on the docket to be executed by the end of May. Death Row Information
So the contention that Texas believes in protecting lives, even the lives of children, flies in the face of facts.
This appears to more of that anti-abortion, a fetus-is-a-person, stir-up-the-RW-base stuff. It has little to do with protecting the life of a potential child.
You watch. Texas' interest in protecting this child will wane considerably after birth.
The hypocracy is appalling. They ought to be ashamed of themselves.
Do you live in Texas? I do, and reading your words, it sounds like you have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. Children die all the time due to lack of decent health care? Really? Huh. That's very interesting. I've never heard such a thing. Does the uber-liberal Houston Chronicle discuss CHIP? Medicaid? You do know what those are, right? FREE INSURANCE FOR LOW INCOME KIDS AND ADULTS? Can you tell me the last time you heard of a child being turned away for care at any major Texas hospital? Can you cite your sources?
I'm thinking of this poor man who just lost his wife and will now be thrown a baby to raise on his own.
I don't think this is a good idea because without these machines, she would be dead and so would the fetus. The fetus is only 14 weeks old, I don't think there's anything wrong with that. And also, how do we know that the baby is getting adequate care. The connection between a mother and baby is crucial.
Talk about walking a fine line. I guess it's only a fetus when it's a burden, and a human when it's wanted (Laci Peterson, anyone?). How absolutely sad.
Laci Peterson was 7 and 1/2 months pregnant.....her fetus was viable.
This woman's fetus was only 14 weeks when she was declared brain dead....not even close to being viable.
Laci Peterson was 7 and 1/2 months pregnant.....her fetus was viable.
This woman's fetus was only 14 weeks when she was declared brain dead....not even close to being viable.
You can't compare the two.
You absolutely can if you understand life begins at conception, and is worth protecting.
If you do not understand that...well, of course you're going to think a lot differently. I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess you have no children. I don't know many mothers that would call a 7 1/2 month baby in utero a "fetus" and discuss its viability.
I'm shocked and saddened at the responses here on the side of death and hopelessness. It's a very disheartening narrative of the American culture today.
The state is right to do it's duty to protect the life of an innocent third party that has no voice of it's own.
Then vote against abortions =
the killing of live babies which the government slaughter house is all for.
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Thank for the Clear Boundary; Appropriate to discusd
I must admit ignorance about this unfortunate situation for this female EMT. Many factors are different, from what I've read here vs. the teen in Oakland.
That's very interesting. I've never heard such a thing. Does the uber-liberal Houston Chronicle discuss CHIP? Medicaid? You do know what those are, right? FREE INSURANCE FOR LOW INCOME KIDS AND ADULTS? Can you tell me the last time you heard of a child being turned away for care at any major Texas hospital? Can you cite your sources? 
