Texas Father Barred from Taking Pregnant Wife Off Life Support

KTdid81 · December 2013

Did anybody read this article? https://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/texas-father-barred-taking-pregnant-wife-off-life-200600388.html

What do you think?

BrideNamedMeg · December 2013

What a terrible situation! Just from this article (not sure if there's more to the story) it seems like they should respect her wishes and take her off life support, especially when her husband and parents all say that's what she would have wanted.

[Deleted User] · December 2013

The user and all related content has been deleted.

mfarmer0811 · December 2013

Why couldn't they perform an ultrasound on the baby? They can tell of more than just checking the heartbeat. They could do an anatomy scan, right?
This is such a sad story!!

ceh789 · December 2013

That's horrifying to me, that the law is forcing her to continue breathing against her and her familys will to sustain a nonviable fetus. THIS right here is what the government taking away your bodily autonomy looks like, folks.

cawettig · December 2013

Tough subject. I would want more information about the baby as other pp mentioned. If I was pregnant and put on life support; I would not want to be taken off of it until my baby was delivered via c-section. I am against remaining on life support, however when there is just not my own life to think of I believe that I would choose to continue life support.

ceh789 · December 2013

cawettig said:

Tough subject. I would want more information about the baby as other pp mentioned. If I was pregnant and put on life support; I would not want to be taken off of it until my baby was delivered via c-section. I am against remaining on life support, however when there is just not my own life to think of I believe that I would choose to continue life support.

You or your next of kin should absolutely have that choice. So should the woman in question.

[Deleted User] · December 2013

The user and all related content has been deleted.

rockopera · December 2013

I support the family in this, since those were her wishes, it's a non-viable fetus when she "died" and there will be no indication for quite awhile if the baby is unharmed due to the trauma. Forcing her dead body to be an incubator against her wishes is so so wrong to me.

KTdid81 · December 2013

I can't imagine what that husband is going through. It is devasting to think that he is going to go through another loss if the baby is not ok. I would think that if the mom's lack of oxygen caused her brain damage it would have done the same to the baby.
It should be left up to the family to decide.
I'm not sure what I would want if put in these circumstances.

totalbabydoll4ever · December 2013

WOW! This is a hard one. The fetus was only 14 weeks. I think that it is likely that the baby would have some brain damage. I think I'd want to be off life support.

SmittyPants · December 2013

Terrible. Her wishes should be honored regardless of whether or not she's pregnant. Like others have said it is more than likely the fetus suffered brain damage as well and this is doing nothing more than postponing the inevitable.

AshleyO925 · December 2013

This is awful! I have to agree at 14 weeks the baby must have suffered injury as well. They should respect the family's wishes to take her off life support.

jennybean80 · December 2013

My assumption would be that a fetus deprived of O2 long enough that it's mother is completely brain dead, would at best have significant CP and at worst wouldn't be survive after birth. This baby seems likely to end up in a similar state to mom. Probably will be in a vegatative state if it survives, and it seems like being on life support is not something the family believes in for the mom, so it probably isn't what they want for their baby.

wearebirds · December 2013

I'm totally on the side of the family. At 14 weeks the baby would not have survived outside the womb should it have needed to be delivered right there and then.

Personally, I only wanted to be on life support if my baby had a chance of survival outside the womb, I.e. was not deprived of oxygen for an extended period of time and also be at least 24 weeks gestation.

The husband and family should be allowed to make this decision regardless of her being pregnant. This IS HIS wife and HIS baby. What are they going to do...make his wife endure being an incubator for almost 6 months to deliver this baby. What happens when the baby needs life support? They're essentially making him make this decision twice.

hisbeautyalways · December 2013

bearsbearsbears said:

wearebirds said:

I'm totally on the side of the family. At 14 weeks the baby would not have survived outside the womb should it have needed to be delivered right there and then. Personally, I only wanted to be on life support if my baby had a chance of survival outside the womb, I.e. was not deprived of oxygen for an extended period of time and also be at least 24 weeks gestation. The husband and family should be allowed to make this decision regardless of her being pregnant. This IS HIS wife and HIS baby. What are they going to do...make his wife endure being an incubator for almost 6 months to deliver this baby. What happens when the baby needs life support? They're essentially making him make this decision twice.

Ugh, you're so right. I didn't even think about this.

It did spur a discussion with MH talking about how pregnancy would affect my believes on life support, which was a good thing. When we put together our wills a few months ago, we had a long discussion about what we would like. However, despite the fact that I was pregnant, we never brought up how that would affect my wishes or how MH would feel about it.

DH and I had this discussion tonight too.

sopranoali · December 2013

If the baby survives and has a defect...I guess THEN the govt expects dad to take care of it, forever? This decision does not just impact the mother and baby's lives.

Jess11019 · December 2013

Omg that is simply horrible I can't not imagine being denied my wishes I just pray for them all!!!

Texas Father Barred from Taking Pregnant Wife Off Life Support

Re: Texas Father Barred from Taking Pregnant Wife Off Life Support

Choose Another Board

Search Boards