What Happens When a Pregnant Woman Is Declared Brain Dead?

Over the weekend, my daughter and I volunteered at a local event. She earned enough tickets to “buy” an old-school etch-a-sketch—the kind with the knobs you twist to draw. The next morning, I saw it beside her bed, and she had written: “Word of the day: kind.”

Something had happened the day before that hurt her feelings. And I think that was her way of reminding herself to respond with grace.

The next day, the etch-a-sketch said “happiness.” I added a heart and our dog’s name, Hopper. The next time I saw it, she’d drawn a picture of Hopper and etched his name across the top.

I’m so lucky to have her. And that kind of love, the kind that makes your heart swell, also brings fear. Because life is unpredictable.

This week’s episode is about someone else’s daughter. And it’s about the laws that can take away our ability to make decisions, even when we think we’ve made them.

Adriana Smith’s Story

Adriana Smith was a young nurse from Georgia who was declared brain dead in February 2025. But because she was nine weeks pregnant, her body was kept on machines for four months.

She was finally laid to rest in June, after her premature baby, Chance, was delivered weighing 1 pound, 13 ounces.

Adriana’s mother says the hospital told her that Georgia’s abortion laws prevented them from removing Adriana from support. But according to the state’s attorney general, that interpretation of the law might be incorrect.

When Laws Collide with End-of-Life Care

In the episode, I walk through Adriana’s story and a similar one involving Marlise Munoz in Texas. I explain what the Dobbs decision actually did, how Georgia’s “heartbeat law” works, and why even a valid advance directive might not be honored if you’re pregnant.

These are tough stories. There are no clean resolutions.

But I believe they deserve to be told, with clarity, compassion, and kindness.

Because when it comes to death readiness, this is what’s real.

 It’s messy. It’s uncomfortable. And that’s exactly why we need to talk about it.

Listen here: