Ventalation Case Summary

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This case is considering whether or not it is ethical to take a brain dead woman that is pregnant off of ventalation. This specific case involves a resident of Texas named Amanda. Amanda was thirty years old. Amanda was married, was mother of an 18-month old child, and worked in the healthcare industry. One day, Amanda collapsed and the doctors then later determined she had a massive pulmonary embolism. She was then declared brain dead after being taken to the hospital. Brain death is the irreversible cessation of all the functions of the entire brain, including the brain stem (Baumrucker 672). Therefore, her husband felt that she would not want to keep living on life support in this condition. The other family members agreed. They requested withdrawal of ventilation which would cause Amanda’s body to completely shut down. The doctors were going to fulfill the family’s wishes until they found out Amanda was twelve weeks pregnant. Therefore, the hospital kept her on the vent because of the Texas law that stated she had to stay on the ventilation system to keep the fetus alive. Keeping Amanda alive uses her body as an incubator to keep the fetus alive. However, the family did not like the …show more content…

Therefore, even though the family wants Amanda to be taken off of ventilation that is not what is best for the fetus. So someone that has full capacity and competence has to make the decisions for the fetus and that is the doctors. Ali Nyima, a doctor specialized in obstetrics, said,” A pregnant woman who has been diagnosed as brain dead is considered dead, and somatic support is justified only to design appropriate strategies for the sake of the fetus.” Therefore, Ali Nyima supports the decision of keeping Amanda on ventilation system for the sake of the

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