Woman gave birth several months after brain death

A true medical miracle occurred at an Atlanta hospital: nurse Adriana Smith, who had been on life support for almost four months after being diagnosed with brain death in February, successfully delivered a premature baby boy weighing only 820 grams.

According to April Newkirk, the mother of the woman who gave birth, the 31-year-old Adriana underwent a cesarean section last Friday. Starting Tuesday, June 17, the family consented to disconnecting the woman from the equipment that had maintained her vital functions over the past months, reports the reputable local publication Atlanta Journal - Constitution.

"It's hard to even comprehend," Newkirk shared in an emotional interview with a local TV channel. "I'm her mother. I shouldn't be burying my own daughter. She should be burying me."

Medical staff at Emory University Hospital maintained the woman's vital functions for such an extended period for a special reason: at the time of brain death declaration, Adriana was approximately eight to nine weeks pregnant. According to Georgia state law, pregnancy termination is prohibited after a fetal heartbeat is detected, which occurs at approximately six weeks.

The baby, named Chance, was born about three months premature. Immediately after birth, the newborn was placed in the neonatal intensive care unit.