Dead mother incubator

Aliantha · 01-29-2009, 01:39 AM

You may be familiar with this story where a husband asked hospital staff to keep his brain dead wife on life support for two days in order to give their baby a high chance of survival.

Quote:

Two days after Jayne Soliman was declared brain-dead, her grieving husband saw her life-support machine turned off.

In a moment of unbelievable poignancy, he was then given their baby daughter to hold for the first time.

Doctors had kept 41-year-old Mrs Soliman's heart beating after she suffered a brain haemorrhage.

For 48 hours they pumped large doses of steroids into her body to help the baby's lungs develop.

I find it interesting that some people are against this decision by the husband and the hospital. More so because Dazza and I had a discussion about this very same topic quite a few months ago after I had a very near miss while driving. It was my very express wish that he keep me on life support until our baby could be born safely.

What do you think?

Kingswood · 01-29-2009, 04:53 AM

They did the right thing, IMO. Give the baby a fighting chance.

ZenGum · 01-29-2009, 05:48 AM

It would seem pointless not to. And it makes for an AWESOME band name. Dibs!

Pie · 01-29-2009, 09:03 AM

What would the mother have wanted? That's the only question that needs to be answered. Most mothers-to-be would rather do whatever they could to give their baby a better chance. Dad should know.

TheMercenary · 01-29-2009, 12:47 PM

Smart and logical choice by the family and hospital. In this country they probably would not have even given the father a choice.

Juniper · 01-29-2009, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pie

What would the mother have wanted? That's the only question that needs to be answered. Most mothers-to-be would rather do whatever they could to give their baby a better chance. Dad should know.

I think the father's wishes are important too. After all, the baby belongs just as much to him.

Pie · 01-29-2009, 01:07 PM

...And he would have chosen differently, why?

dmg1969 · 01-29-2009, 01:10 PM

I couldn't see making a decision other than the one he made. Losing his wife would be bad enough. Why let the baby die too?

wolf · 01-29-2009, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Juniper

I think the father's wishes are important too. After all, the baby belongs just as much to him.

Do you feel the same way if the life of the baby is to be ended?

Just asking because I'm genuinely curious as to how people approach this.

Cicero · 01-29-2009, 01:30 PM

See? I knew it would take a couple of posts for this to come up. lol

wolf · 01-29-2009, 01:50 PM

Yeah. I hate being the one to have done it, but it followed naturally.

You expect a guy to shell out cash for it, he should have a say in all the other decisions.

Juniper · 01-29-2009, 01:51 PM

No, I don't mean he would have chosen differently. I mean, if people are against keeping her alive and think he made the wrong choice to prolong her life, why is "she would have wanted this" the only thing that matters? Why isn't it just as valid for the dad to say "I don't care what my wife would've wanted - I want that baby to live."

As far as ending the baby's life, actually, I don't think it's up to either of them. IMO if it is possible for the baby to survive by keeping the mother on life support, it would be unethical for anyone to choose otherwise. When you conceive, you are an incubator. Your body belongs just as much to the baby as to yourself. But then, I'm staunchly pro-life so I guess I'll get flamed now.

If he doesn't want the baby now that mom's dead, I'm sure there are many loving couples who would want to adopt a newborn. It's the older ones that are hard to place.

My original point, though, was para #1. I get weary of father's rights being disregarded.

But it doesn't matter. I'm just a dumb ass anyway.

Sundae · 01-29-2009, 02:07 PM

I would be very much against an abortion of a healthy viable foetus with a father ready to take in and take care of the child once it is born.

In that case, yes I would expect the mother to wait an extra two days in order for medical facilities to be available.

Do I think men have a right to insist their sexual partner carries an embryo to term if she has no wish to be a mother? No. I am an atheist, I have no belief in souls, I do not call a foetus a baby. If a man has a strong desire to be a father there are plenty of women in the world happy to comply with him. If he knocks up someone with the same views as me, perhaps he should have got to know his partner before having intercourse. I have always taken preventative measures, but do not feel having an unwanted child is acceptable if they fail.

The contraceptive pill is technically abortion. I took it for 10 years, no doubt aborting many clusters of cells. I've also taken the morning after pill more than once, potentially killing even more. I've been aware at every stage of what I am doing and how. At least that way if I burn in Hell I won't spend an eternity boring my neighbours with, "But I didn't know.....!"

I accept there are some (few) reasons why a viable foetus might be aborted. But as far as I am aware, the mother changing her mind is not one of them.

Cicero · 01-29-2009, 02:11 PM

Murderer!!

Just kidding. lol!!

I wonder how much cash a uterus and fetus go for these days........hmmmm? I think I would charge steeper prices than what would be affordable.

Sundae · 01-29-2009, 02:16 PM

I tried to donate eggs.
FAIL.

But at least I tried.

01-29-2009, 04:53 AM	#2
Kingswood Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Melbourne, Vic Posts: 316	They did the right thing, IMO. Give the baby a fighting chance. __________________ Ur is a city in Mesopotamia.

01-29-2009, 05:48 AM	#3
ZenGum Doctor Wtf Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Badelaide, Baustralia Posts: 12,861	It would seem pointless not to. And it makes for an AWESOME band name. Dibs! __________________ Shut up and hug. MoreThanPretty, Nov 5, 2008. Just because I'm nominally polite, does not make me a pussy. Sundae Girl.

01-29-2009, 09:03 AM	#4
Pie Gone and done Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 4,808	What would the mother have wanted? That's the only question that needs to be answered. Most mothers-to-be would rather do whatever they could to give their baby a better chance. Dad should know. __________________ per·son \ˈpər-sən\ (noun) - an ephemeral collection of small, irrational decisions The fun thing about evolution (and science in general) is that it happens whether you believe in it or not.

01-29-2009, 12:47 PM	#5
TheMercenary “Hypocrisy: prejudice with a halo” Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Savannah, Georgia Posts: 21,393	Smart and logical choice by the family and hospital. In this country they probably would not have even given the father a choice. __________________ Anyone but the this most fuked up President in History in 2012!

01-29-2009, 01:07 PM	#7
Pie Gone and done Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 4,808	...And he would have chosen differently, why? __________________ per·son \ˈpər-sən\ (noun) - an ephemeral collection of small, irrational decisions The fun thing about evolution (and science in general) is that it happens whether you believe in it or not.

01-29-2009, 01:10 PM	#8
dmg1969 I got nothing Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Central PA Posts: 486	I couldn't see making a decision other than the one he made. Losing his wife would be bad enough. Why let the baby die too? __________________ Void where prohibited. Your results may vary. Not intended for resale. Do not remove tag. Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.

01-29-2009, 01:30 PM	#10
Cicero Looking forward to open mic night. Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: New Mexico Posts: 5,148	See? I knew it would take a couple of posts for this to come up. lol __________________ Show me a sane man, and I will cure him for you.- Carl Jung

01-29-2009, 01:50 PM	#11
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	Yeah. I hate being the one to have done it, but it followed naturally. You expect a guy to shell out cash for it, he should have a say in all the other decisions. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

01-29-2009, 01:51 PM	#12
Juniper I know, right? Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 1,539	No, I don't mean he would have chosen differently. I mean, if people are against keeping her alive and think he made the wrong choice to prolong her life, why is "she would have wanted this" the only thing that matters? Why isn't it just as valid for the dad to say "I don't care what my wife would've wanted - I want that baby to live." As far as ending the baby's life, actually, I don't think it's up to either of them. IMO if it is possible for the baby to survive by keeping the mother on life support, it would be unethical for anyone to choose otherwise. When you conceive, you are an incubator. Your body belongs just as much to the baby as to yourself. But then, I'm staunchly pro-life so I guess I'll get flamed now. If he doesn't want the baby now that mom's dead, I'm sure there are many loving couples who would want to adopt a newborn. It's the older ones that are hard to place. My original point, though, was para #1. I get weary of father's rights being disregarded. But it doesn't matter. I'm just a dumb ass anyway.

01-29-2009, 02:07 PM	#13
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	I would be very much against an abortion of a healthy viable foetus with a father ready to take in and take care of the child once it is born. In that case, yes I would expect the mother to wait an extra two days in order for medical facilities to be available. Do I think men have a right to insist their sexual partner carries an embryo to term if she has no wish to be a mother? No. I am an atheist, I have no belief in souls, I do not call a foetus a baby. If a man has a strong desire to be a father there are plenty of women in the world happy to comply with him. If he knocks up someone with the same views as me, perhaps he should have got to know his partner before having intercourse. I have always taken preventative measures, but do not feel having an unwanted child is acceptable if they fail. The contraceptive pill is technically abortion. I took it for 10 years, no doubt aborting many clusters of cells. I've also taken the morning after pill more than once, potentially killing even more. I've been aware at every stage of what I am doing and how. At least that way if I burn in Hell I won't spend an eternity boring my neighbours with, "But I didn't know.....!" I accept there are some (few) reasons why a viable foetus might be aborted. But as far as I am aware, the mother changing her mind is not one of them.

01-29-2009, 02:11 PM	#14
Cicero Looking forward to open mic night. Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: New Mexico Posts: 5,148	Murderer!! Just kidding. lol!! I wonder how much cash a uterus and fetus go for these days........hmmmm? I think I would charge steeper prices than what would be affordable. __________________ Show me a sane man, and I will cure him for you.- Carl Jung

01-29-2009, 02:16 PM	#15
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	I tried to donate eggs. FAIL. But at least I tried.

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