Brain-Dead Canadian Woman Gives Birth, Dies
A brain-dead woman in British Columbia, whose husband had asked she be kept alive on a ventilator after a cerebral hemorrhage over a month ago, has died after giving birth to their frail but healthy son.
"My beautiful and amazing son, Iver Cohen Benson," is healthy and is "the cutest and most precious person I have ever met," writes Dylan Benson, 32, about the delivery by Caesarean section last weekend, on his personal blog.
The baby boy was born 12 weeks prematurely, and is in a neonatal intensive care unit in Victoria, British Columbia, according to CNN.
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"On Sunday, we had to unfortunately say goodbye to the strongest and most wonderful woman I have ever met," he says of his wife. "I miss Robyn more than words can explain. I could not be more impressed with her strength, and I am so lucky to have known her. She will live on forever within Iver, and in my heart."
Robyn, also 32, collapsed in late December when she was 22 weeks pregnant, and was declared brain dead.
Benson thanked all those who contributed Canadian $152,000 for Iver's medical bills through an online fund-raising campaign. "I feel very, very, incredibly thankful. The message of positivity has been incredible, and it's made it easier to get through these past few weeks," he was quoted as saying.
If Robyn were still alive, she'd be happy and proud, he added. "She would be very proud of our son. I think she would be happy that there were so many people all over the world that want to see him healthy and happy."
In a similar case in the United States, a judge in January ordered John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas, to remove life support from a pregnant, brain-dead woman, Marlise Munoz.
Munoz was 14 weeks pregnant when her husband, Erick Munoz, found her unconscious on the kitchen floor, Nov. 26.
The hospital cited a Texas law on pregnant patients to argue it was mandated to protect the life of the unborn child. Texas' Health and Safety Code Section 166.049 states that "a person may not withdraw or withhold life-sustaining treatment from a pregnant patient."
However, Erick Munoz said he and his wife, both paramedics, had discussed and agreed on not being kept alive through life support.
