A brain-dead pregnant woman, whose case sparked attention due to abortion restrictions in Georgia, has given birth, according to officials, after which she was taken off life support.
Adriana Smith, a registered nurse, became the focus of national interest in a country where abortion access has significantly shifted since the Supreme Court overturned the right to terminate pregnancies in June 2022.
“On Friday, June 13, 2025, her infant son, named Chance, was born prematurely at approximately 4:41 am via emergency Cesarean section,” three Democratic congresswomen said in a statement.
“Chance weighs about 1 pound, 13 ounces and is currently in the NICU,” the statement said, adding that Smith was removed from life support on Tuesday.
Smith experienced severe headaches in February while she was nine weeks pregnant. An initial visit to the hospital resulted only in a prescription for medication. The following morning, when the 30-year-old was admitted to the hospital where she worked, doctors discovered numerous blood clots in her brain, leading to her being declared brain dead.
Georgia law prohibits abortions after six weeks of pregnancy — part of a group of laws known as ‘heartbeat’ laws, which refers to the approximate time when a fetal heartbeat can first be detected. Because Smith was nine weeks into her pregnancy, the doctors were reluctant to take any actions that might violate the law, according to her mother, April Newkirk.
In June 2022, the Supreme Court, which leans conservative, overturned Roe vs Wade, the pivotal 1973 decision that had established federal protections for abortion access.
Following that ruling, over 20 states, including Georgia, have enacted stringent restrictions on abortions or implemented total bans.
Three congresswomen — Nikema Williams, Ayanna Pressley, and Sara Jacobs — are advocating for stronger protections for the rights of pregnant women, emphasising that “particularly Black women are disproportionately affected by systemic medical neglect and restrictive anti-abortion laws.”
