Adriana. Photo supplied by GoFundMe
ATLANTA – A Georgia family is mourning the loss of Adriana, a young mother who was declared brain dead on Feb. 19, following a sudden and tragic medical emergency, according to a GoFundMe account established by her mother.
What they’re saying:
Loved ones say the ordeal began on Feb. 9, when Adriana complained of persistent headaches. She reportedly sought help at two different hospitals, but according to her family, she was given medication with “no tests ran or proper examination.”
Just days later, on a Sunday morning, Adriana was found unresponsive. Doctors determined she was brain dead. However, because Adriana was in the early stages of pregnancy—just two months along at the time—Georgia’s fetal heartbeat law requires she remain on life support.
Her family says they were devastated to learn they had no legal authority over her medical care or the unborn child’s future. In the months since, they’ve reportedly been forced to wait while doctors monitored the pregnancy, not knowing if the baby may suffer from serious diseases and disabilities if carried to term.
Adriana leaves behind a 7-year-old son and grieving relatives who say their lives have been turned upside down. They are now asking for prayers, support, and any help the community can provide during this heartbreaking time.
The other side:
FOX 5 Atlanta reached out to Emory Hospital where Adriana is being cared for. They released the following statement:
Emory Healthcare uses consensus from clinical experts, medical literature, and legal guidance to support our providers as they make individualized treatment recommendations in compliance with Georgia’s abortion laws and all other applicable laws. Our top priorities continue to be the safety and wellbeing of the patients we serve. Because of federal privacy rules, we are unable comment on individual patient cases.
What’s next:
Adriana is approximately 21 weeks pregnant at this time. It is not known how long the hospital plans to keep Adriana on life support.
A typical pregnancy lasts 40 weeks or 9 months and most pregnancies naturally deliver between 38 and 41 weeks, according to March of Dimes. Health experts say 24 weeks is the gestational age most commonly associated with a realistic chance of survival with intensive care, though some infants born as early as 22 weeks have survived in top-tier NICUs. Babies born between 37 and 38 weeks usually do well, but may face some risks compared to full-term babies.
FOX 5 Atlanta is attempting to make contact with the family.
Reaction:
There has been strong reaction to Adriana’s situation on social media. Civil rights activists, multiple politicians, and others are weighing in.
Sen. Nabilah Islam Parkes posted on X that she has sent a letter to Georgia’s Attorney General Chris Carr requesting answers. Specifically, Parkes wants to know if Georgia’s abortion ban legally requires the hospital to keep Adriana on life support and what would happen if they did not. She also asked if Carr’s office would support or oppose the prosecution of whomever removed life support.
The Reproductive Freedom Caucus, which is a group of U.S. House of Representatives members dedicated to advancing reproductive rights, has also issued a statement.
Dig deeper:
Georgia’s heartbeat law, formally known as the Living Infants Fairness and Equality (LIFE) Act, is a state law that significantly restricts abortion access by banning most abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected—typically around six weeks of pregnancy. The law allows limited exceptions, including if the pregnancy is determined to be medically futile; if the mother’s life is in danger’ and in cases of rape or incest, but only if a police report has been filed.
Because the law includes a fetal personhood clause, which gives legal recognition to unborn children after a heartbeat is detected, this can limit medical decision-making in situations involving severely ill or brain-dead pregnant women, even if the prognosis for the fetus is poor.
Georgia’s heartbeat law was initially adopted in 2019, but wasn’t enforced until Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022. It is one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country.
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