Maternal brain death during pregnancy.
A case of a 36-year-old woman diagnosed brain dead secondary to pneumococcal meningitis at 27 weeks of gestation is presented. In spite of aggressive therapy, supportive intensive care was possible for only 36 h. Signs of fetal distress appeared and a cesarean section was performed. The complexity of supportive care and its ethical implications are discussed.
Vives
A
A
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Barcelona, Spain.
Carmona
F
F
Zabala
E
E
Fernández
C
C
Cararach
V
V
Iglesias
X
X
D000328:Adult; D001926:Brain Death / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008020:Life Support Care; D008586:Meningitis, Pneumococcal / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000150:complications*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome