Family gives update on baby after brain dead woman was kept alive to give birth due to abortion law
The mother of Adriana Smith, an Atlanta woman who was declared brain dead whilst pregnant, has given an update on the newborn months after its mother’s life support was switched off.
Smith was a registered nurse and mom-to-be when she suffered a medical emergency in February 2025. Doctors at Emory University Hospital later declared her brain-dead.
However, the experts felt they were legally obligated to keep Smith on life support after she was found to be around nine weeks pregnant.
This was due to the so-called ‘heartbeat bill’ that Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law in 2019 to prevent abortions from being performed once fetal cardiac activity is detected, which typically occurs at about six weeks' gestation.
Advert
Smith eventually gave birth to a son, and her life support was shut off four days later, on June 17.
In a new update, the woman’s family have said that the newborn continues to fight for his life.
According to reports, the child, who has since been named Chance, weighed just 1 lb. 13 oz. when he was born via emergency cesarean section on June 13.
Smith’s mother, April Newkirk, has recently revealed that Chance now weighs under 5lbs.
It’s understood he will potentially be able to leave medical care at the end of September or at the beginning of October.
"His weight is gradually picking up, but the breathing is what we're concerned with," Newkirk said on Wednesday (August 27), as reported by PEOPLE magazine.
“So, he's making a little bit of progress, but still some things to do."
Newkirk previously said that the family ‘just want prayers’ for Chance so he can become healthy and strong.
Adriana Smith’s mother details ‘torturous’ months
Newkirk has said it has been ‘hard’ to deal with Smith’s death over the last couple of months.
She confessed to 11Alive: “Something's been taken away from us, it's hard. You know, I think about her every day, all the time.
The bereaved mother has previously been vocal regarding the decision to keep her child alive throughout her pregnancy, remarking it was ‘torture’ to watch her suffer.
“She’s been breathing through machines for more than 90 days,” she once explained.
“It’s torture for me. I see my daughter breathing, but she’s not there. And her son — I bring him to see her.”
Why was Adriana Smith kept alive?
The Life Act, ushered in following the 2022 overturn of Roe v. Wade, states that ‘no abortion shall be performed’ in the state of Georgia six weeks after gestation.
The legislation only becomes void if the pregnant woman suffers ‘a medical emergency or medically futile pregnancy’.
Despite suffering her own medical emergency, doctors at Emory University Hospital believed switching off Smith’s life support would violate these laws.
They therefore kept the woman alive until her baby was born, causing experts and Smiths’ family to debate the ethical implications of the heartbeat bill.
“I want them to know that this didn't have to happen,” said Newkirk of the medical experts’ decision.
“I want them to know that the law needs to be changed. It doesn't need to be altered. It doesn't need to be in effect at all. Women have rights; it's their body," she added.
Previously, Emory Healthcare has said that its staff makes medical recommendations for patients using many factors.
“The top priorities at Emory Healthcare continue to be the safety and wellbeing of the patients and families we serve,” a spokesperson told ABC News.
“Emory Healthcare uses consensus from clinical experts, medical literature and legal guidance to support our providers as they make medical recommendations.
"Emory Healthcare is legally required to maintain the confidentiality of the protected health information of our patients, which is why we are unable to comment on individual matters and circumstances.”
Ella Scott