We present in detail a case of a 27-year-old primigravida who was maintained in a brain-dead state for nine weeks. An apparently normal and healthy male infant weighing 1440 g was delivered. The newborn did well and was found to be growing and developing normally at 18 months of age. Although the technical aspects of prolonged life support are demanding and the economic costs are very high (+217,784), there are ample ethical arguments justifying the separation of brain death and somatic death and the maintenance of the brain-dead mother so that her unborn fetus can develop and mature.
KIE: Physicians and an ethicist at the University of California, San Francisco, present the details of the case of a pregnant, brain-dead woman whose vital functions were maintained for nine weeks until the delivery of a healthy infant at 31 weeks' gestation. Despite the technical difficulties involved and the economic costs incurred ($183,031 for maternal care and $34,703 for neonatal care), the authors conclude that ethical considerations support the decision on care. They argue that the woman was not injured; that nonmaleficence and beneficence toward the fetus require a rescue attempt if there is a reasonable chance of reaching fetal maturity; that maternal medical care may be more cost effective than prolonged neonatal support; and that the father's wishes were respected. Rather than proposing guidelines, they hold that decisions on prolonged maternal support should be based on the circumstances of each case.