Brain-Dead Pregnant Nurse Still On Life Support

Brain-Dead Atlanta Woman Kept on Life Support Under Georgia Law; Fetus Shows Signs of Serious Impairment

Emory Hospital In Georgia

By Ximena Rodríguez-López

Atlanta, GA — Adriana Smith, a 30-year-old registered nurse from Atlanta, Georgia, was declared brain dead in February 2025 after suffering multiple brain blood clots. At the time of the incident, Smith was nine weeks pregnant.

Due to Georgia’s “heartbeat law”—which prohibits abortion once fetal cardiac activity is detected, typically around six weeks—Smith has been kept on life support for over three months. The goal, according to hospital protocol, is to allow the fetus to develop to a point of potential viability outside the womb.

Medical professionals have since reported that the fetus, now at 21 weeks gestation, shows signs of hydrocephalus, a condition characterized by the accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain. This condition is linked to a range of long-term neurological impairments, including visual disorders, limited mobility, and cognitive developmental delays.

Smith’s family has expressed a desire to terminate life support, citing their inability to care for the fetus long-term due to age and health concerns. Despite this, legal constraints tied to Georgia’s abortion restrictions have prevented them from making that decision.

Smith is being treated at Emory University Hospital, a major teaching institution. The family has raised concerns that the hospital’s academic status may be influencing its decision to prolong life support. According to the family, they believe Smith’s body is being maintained, in part, to facilitate observation and study under the guise of medical protocol.

Medications used to keep Smith’s body functioning have been noted to cross the placental barrier. Medical reports indicate that the fetus, now at 21 weeks gestation, shows signs of hydrocephalus, a condition marked by the accumulation of fluid in the brain. This diagnosis is associated with potential long-term neurological impairments, including visual deficits, reduced mobility, and developmental disabilities.

Smith’s case continues to draw national attention as an example of how restrictive abortion laws can intersect with complex end-of-life and maternal-fetal medical decisions, particularly when prognosis for both the mother and fetus is poor.