title: When the fetus is alive but the mother is not: critical care somatic support as an accepted model of care in the twenty-first century?
abstract: There has been an increase in cases involving the maintenance of brain dead pregnant women on life support to allow for fetal growth toward viability and birth. This article provides an ethical analysis and discusses the critical care nursing needs of the maternal patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Sonoma State University, 1801 E. Cotati Avenue, Rohnert Park, CA 94928, USA. catlin@sonoma.edu
authors.forename: Anita J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Catlin
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Volat
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001926:Brain Death / Q000503:physiopathology; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000941:ethics; D003422:Critical Care / Q000941:ethics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D003657:Decision Making / Q000941:ethics; D034462:Dissent and Disputes; D026689:Ethical Analysis; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D005328:Fetal Viability; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000941:ethics; D006801:Humans; D008020:Life Support Care / Q000941:ethics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D016389:Maternal-Child Nursing / Q000941:ethics; D017146:Models, Organizational; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000941:ethics / Q000523:psychology; D010371:Pediatric Nursing / Q000941:ethics; D011247:Pregnancy; D037841:Pregnant People; D012297:Right to Die / Q000941:ethics; D013997:Time Factors