Brain-Dead Georgia Nurse Gives Birth After 4 Months on Life Support

A Georgia woman who was declared brain dead in February has delivered a baby after being kept on life support for four months.

Adriana Smith, a 31-year-old nurse from Atlanta, gave birth to a baby boy named Chance on Friday, June 13, via emergency C-section at just 29 weeks. The newborn weighed only 1 pound, 13 ounces and is currently being cared for in the NICU. Though premature, doctors say he’s expected to pull through.

Smith’s condition began in February when she sought care for severe headaches. She was sent home, but the next day, her boyfriend found her unresponsive. Doctors discovered multiple blood clots in her brain and declared her brain dead. At the time, Smith was nine weeks pregnant.

Her case gained national attention when her mother, April Newkirk, shared that doctors at Emory University Hospital refused to remove Smith from life support, reportedly citing concerns over Georgia’s abortion laws. Smith remained on life support until her baby could be delivered safely.

Although Georgia law bans abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected, officials later clarified that it does not require hospitals to maintain life support for brain-dead pregnant women. Legal experts pointed instead to the state’s Advance Directive law, which includes a pregnancy clause that may prioritize an unborn child’s survival over previously stated medical wishes.

Baby Chance’s early arrival came before doctors originally planned to deliver him at 32 weeks. Smith will be removed from life support on June 17. She also leaves behind a 7-year-old son.

As Chance fights for his life in NICU, this case continues to spark debate about reproductive rights, end-of-life decisions, and how state laws influence deeply personal medical situations.