Brain dead pregnant woman taken off life support

[Rachel20]

A brain-dead woman kept alive by a hospital in Texas because she was pregnant has been taken off life support.

A court had ruled that John Peter Smith Hospital must stop life-saving measures for Marlise Munoz by Monday.
Mrs Munoz, 33, was 14 weeks pregnant when she fell unconscious in November. It is believed she had a blood clot.
Her family wanted to let her die, but the hospital had argued it had a legal duty to protect the unborn child.

Mrs Munoz's husband, Erick, filed suit against the hospital on 14 January, arguing that keeping her on life support went against her wishes as a paramedic familiar with end-of-life issues.
The family's lawyers also provided medical records revealing that the foetus was "distinctly abnormal" as a result of oxygen deprivation.

The hospital in the city of Fort Worth had denied the family's request, citing a Texas law saying life-sustaining treatment cannot be withdrawn from a pregnant patient, regardless of her end-of-life wishes.
But on Friday, RH Judge Wallace ruled that Mrs Munoz, who was about 22 weeks pregnant, was legally dead. He ordered her life support to be removed by 17:00 local time (23:00 GMT) on Monday.



BBC News - Texas hospital ends life support for pregnant Marlise Munoz

 

[Elizabeth619]

Ive been following this story. A very delicate situation. They say the baby has several defects, but is still alive in the womb. This will kill the child.

 

[Nautilus]

well maybe the hospital should quit trying to play God. If He wants the baby to somehow survive He will make it happen. Same with the mother. Sometimes maybe people arent meant to die.

 

[Elizabeth619]

well maybe the hospital should quit trying to play God. If He wants the baby to somehow survive He will make it happen. Same with the mother. Sometimes maybe people arent meant to die.

I guess all hospitals and medical professionals need to stop "playing God" then. Since part of their jobs are to save lives. I guess they should just sit there and wait to see what God will do instead of issuing CPR, or other life saving skills when someone is in need of help.

 

[Nautilus]

being kept on life support indefinitely is a waste. Not to mention her family...the people in charge of those decisions did not want this. Yet the hospital decided to play God with this woman and make its own decisions. Shame on them.

I guess you missed the part where life support WAS NOT one of this womans decisions.

 

[Elizabeth619]

being kept on life support indefinitely is a waste. Not to mention her family...the people in charge of those decisions did not want this. Yet the hospital decided to play God with this woman and make its own decisions. Shame on them.

I guess you missed the part where life support WAS NOT one of this womans decisions.

They were keeping her on life support to save the baby. Not her. The law is they cannot remove life support on a pregnant woman. I do believe she is far enough along where they could take the baby instead of it dying inside her though.
Like I said this is a delicate situation, and I certainly would not advocate killing the baby because it was "abnormal". I also see the side where this is terribly painful for the family and as long as she is on life support they cannot have closure.

 

[Nautilus]

Yes keeping a woman on life support who never wanted that, so they could justify some twisted desrie to save her abnormal child. Thats great forcing their religious concerns of pro-life on someone with no say in the matter. Just how all christians should behave...I'm sure that family really appreciates not being able to bury their daughter thanks to some fundy right-wing nutjob doctor.