The pregnant woman in Texas

[Osc]

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/j ... fe-support

This is just a dreadful story and I can't believe that a dead woman's functions are being kept going artificially because she is pregnant, she is being used as a human incubator. Her husband wants to turn off the machine, no one call tell the condition of the baby which is now of 20 weeks gestation. The baby suffered around an hour of oxygen deprivation, so could very well be seriously brain damaged apart from anything else. State law dictates that she be kept alive until it is deemed possible to deliver the baby at about 24 weeks - it doesn't half make me mad because this is a state that still has the death penalty, isn't it?

In contrast, we have had a tragic case here which had to go to court judged compassionately and sensibly last week

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-an ... -1.1656588

[Workingman]

Rosie, this is exactly what we were discussing on the Euthanasia thread.

This poor woman and her poor family are going through hell simply because there is technology available to allow the authorities and lawmakers to act this way.

A few years ago this would never have been a problem - she would have died and so would the foetus. Cruel but true.

Euthanasia might be wrong, but so is the technological and artificial prevention of death just because it can be done.

[Diflower]

It's dreadful isn't it, and so wrong.
Horrible for the professionals who have to make these decisions too, to make sure they're within the law whether they agree with it or not
The poor husband

[KateLMead]

Open to abuse in all areas as Frank states, we are no longer in control of our lives and have to depend on the so called experts. The situation is shocking for the family and the condition of that poor baby doesn't bear thinking about.