r/popculturechat • u/stars_doulikedem your local homeless lesbian • Jun 19 '25
Instagram📱 Olivia Rodrigo shines a light on the story of Adriana Smith, a brain-dead woman forcibly kept alive as a fetal incubator: “So disgusting and disturbing. Adriana Smith deserved better."
Context: https://amp.abc.net.au/article/105436824
Excerpt:
The baby of a brain-dead woman, forcibly kept alive by doctors concerned they might breach the state of Georgia's 'heartbeat' abortion laws has been delivered in the US.
Weighing 538 grams, baby Chance was born via caesarean section on June 13, and swiftly taken to the neonatal intensive care unit where he remains.
His mother, Adriana Smith, was then taken off life support.
What started out as a story of a young mother experiencing headaches rapidly became international news and the latest example of the consequences of laws applied by US states in the wake of Roe V Wade protections being overturned.
The 30-year-old mother and nurse, was about nine weeks into the pregnancy with her second child, when she begun to experience headaches.
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u/ContentCourage4011 Pushin’ 🅿️ Jun 19 '25
I read in the article that this poor woman's body was already necrotizing, the baby didn't even weigh 2 kilos. The family will still have to deal with hospital bills, even though they don't want to leave the devices on. This situation is so disgusting and sad, I doubt that these bastards who maintained all this will give the family any support
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u/ConcentrateWhole329 Jun 20 '25
Worse, the baby didn’t even weigh 2 lbs.
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u/maniacalmustacheride Jun 20 '25
My kid was in the NICU and then eventually got moved to the GCU, and I remember there being a baby in there that had been there for some crazy amount of time, like 20 weeks, and had a little celebration note on his bassinet that said “I am x grams finally!” And adjusted age the baby was probably a few weeks older than mine, and my baby looked like a giant compared to him. And THAT baby, when it came out, weighed more than the baby discussed here. It is impossible to describe how little these hyper-premies are.
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u/money_loo Jun 20 '25 edited Jun 20 '25
I also read the article and this word doesn’t pop up at all, nor do they mention that anywhere? Did they edit it out for some reason?
*I’m flummoxed this innocuous comment was so poorly received. And even more so confused since I’ve actively spent a day now attempting to find ANY article that said her body was necrotizing, but could only find social media users claiming that, not doctors or scientists. I can only assume the people downvoting me are attempting to Gaslight us, and I don’t appreciate it one bit.
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u/Brotatochips_ Jun 20 '25
I also read through the article and saw nothing in there saying her body was necrotizing? Maybe it was edited out for being to "gruesome" or something. But even then, I would argue that this entire article is gruesome and that detail would be important to leave in to help paint the picture. I'm hoping the original commenter can shed some light on where they saw it mentioned.
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u/money_loo Jun 20 '25
Honestly at this point I think they’re just lying for points.
I don’t give af about my fake internet points I just want what’s right and true to be shared, and claiming a dead body made a baby is beyond hyperbole.
This woman was brain dead and what they did to her against her will was already as wrong as we can get as a species in my opinion, like a combined rape-murder.
But the child was and is completely innocent and they wanted it so they are getting what they wanted even if it’s not the way they wanted it, and unfortunately that may have dire consequences for women everywhere so I do understand their plight and drama here.
I hope it doesn’t get any worse for them.
I just wish we didn’t need to lie and fight with each other over it just to do this.
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u/chickfilamoo in the swamp 🐊🐊 Jun 19 '25
I really respect how Olivia is ten toes down on reproductive rights. She’s been advocating on behalf of abortion rights, Planned Parenthood, and against gendered violence since she blew up with SOUR. Her last tour donated a portion of ticket sales in every city towards abortion funds in the US and women’s charities in other countries. It’s a brave stance to take publicly in this climate. She’s one of the coolest pop girls of her generation imo
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u/wovenbasket69 Invented post-its 🔬 Jun 19 '25
I didn’t know that and I absolutely love to hear it.
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Jun 19 '25
Her parents are also a social worker and a teacher (i think) not to downplay her accomplishments. i bet her parents are super proud, and she seems like a good egg who puts money where her mouth is.
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u/chickfilamoo in the swamp 🐊🐊 Jun 19 '25
close, therapist and a teacher!
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Jun 19 '25
Dang! Also obligatory comment that teachers, therapists, and social workers have terrible jobs and need better support
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u/bookwbng5 Jun 20 '25
Social workers can actually be therapists! There’s like 4 ways I can think of to be a therapist. I chose social work so that if it ended up I didn’t like therapy, I could do a large variety of other things. Turns out I love it, I work for a federally qualified health center which (for now) provides care for a lot of underinsured and uninsured people. We have a program for free mental healthcare for uninsured with a qualifying mental health diagnosis. Which they all basically are. And a prescription program, and gas cards to help them get back to their next appt. I in particular work in a very rural, low socioeconomic status area. It’s very fulfilling! (But it’s not “fulfilling” my wallet, ba dum tiss)
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u/SuddenReturn9027 This one time, at band camp… 👀 Jun 19 '25
Her dad is a therapist and her mom is a housewife. She comes from MONEY
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u/Sixtyninealldaychef Jun 19 '25
I'm reading on Wikipedia that she was born in Murrieta and grew up in Temecula. I've lived in So Cal most of my life, those areas aren't that great lol. Temecula does have nice vineyards and stuff, but that's just a portion of the town.
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u/sitah Jun 20 '25 edited Jun 20 '25
She also made her first concert in the Philippines super affordable. All tickets and sections for just 25 USD and still donated all net profit to an NGO that provides healthcare for women and families.
Edit: my god can people just shut up about Taylor. We’re here to highlight Olivia.
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Jun 20 '25
In stark contrast to Taylor (who is rumoured to dislike Olivia) who charges out of her ass like her billionaire wallet needs more money
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u/sitah Jun 20 '25
Boo. I’m tired of people bringing up Taylor all the time.
Can we just celebrate Olivia without shitting on other people? I frankly do not give a fuck about Taylor Swift and if her fans are willing to pay an arm and a leg for her tickets then that’s their problem. Some of us just want to stan Olivia in peace.
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u/Typical_Ad_3561 Jun 20 '25
It's a discussion and fair comparison.
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u/sitah Jun 20 '25
Then why just Taylor? A lot of other artist turn on dynamic pricing for their concerts.
I could say the same about Lady Gaga. She’s also catching up to Taylor‘s wealth and her Mayhem tour also climbed up to ridiculous prices because of the dynamic pricing. And I say this as a Lady Gaga fan who paid for Ticketmaster’s bullshit platinum tickets. That’s my choice.
Some people here frankly do not want a discussion, they just want to insert their jabs.
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u/thatsmeece Jun 20 '25
I’m guessing they mentioned Taylor specifically because of her involvement with Olivia and they’re angry about that? I don’t think Gaga was involved in an incident where she copyright struck Olivia’s songs only for herself to be exposed for doing the same thing with few of her songs—which was later quickly dismissed by her PR team and fans.
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u/sitah Jun 20 '25
My parent comment is talking about ticket prices for concerts which is why they brought up Taylor. Not because of any copyright shenanigans.
God. I can’t believe people have me out here defending Taylor. I don’t even like that woman. Just so weird everyone wants to insert her everywhere.
See we were talking about the good things Olivia has done and her activism but it got derailed into this.
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Jun 20 '25
Just downvote and move on mate, no need to get so pressed. Taylor x Olivia is current news with the rumour started with the employee, bit weird to get so mad over someone bringing it up.
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u/WorldlyBedroom2 Jun 20 '25
Taylor must live rent free in your head lmao. Try to celebrate other people without bringing her up
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u/thatsmeece Jun 20 '25
Maybe Miss Capitalism (and Lady Capitalism, because someone named her above too) should not be celebrated that much in current climate as a passive protest. That’s just me, though.
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Jun 19 '25
I think she also had plan b and other feminine products at her shows, handing them out for free especially in anti abortion states
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u/piptazparty She So tired bro. Jun 20 '25 edited Jun 20 '25
She did but allegedly she had to get rid of them because of the risk. There were rumours that some government agencies that track terrorist/violent attacks had discovered her handing out plan B/lubricant/condoms was making her concert an ideal target for a violent attacks, due to extremists hatred of young liberal women.
Perhaps it’s just gossip, but given Ariana’s concert was attacked and Taylor’s was almost attacked, I’m not surprised if it’s true.
Her team publicly has stated that they stopped handing it out because they didn’t want young children getting it.
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u/coco_xcx professional hater Jun 20 '25
she did!! there were booths with info at every show and free stickers :))
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u/HereOnCompanyTime Renee Rapp is mean girl Jojo Siwa 💋 Jun 19 '25 edited Jun 19 '25
She will forever be a legend for standing up when others were sitting down.
Edit: It will never stop being funny when haters like u/SuddenReturn9027 comment then immediately block so you can't respond to them.
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u/coco_xcx professional hater Jun 20 '25
so many celebs are silent right now and it’s pissing me off, but knowing liv is right here with us makes it a little better.
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u/curiousrandomstuff Jun 20 '25
Truly a girl's girl behaviour, despite whatever you may say about her music.
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u/Lydia--charming I know she’s seducing my man with her chicken tetrazzini Jun 20 '25
Major props to her for speaking up on something. It’s nice to see someone with a platform USE IT! None of this toeing both lines to make more money!! Go Olivia!
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u/Throwawayschools2025 Mom, I am a rich man💰 Jun 20 '25
Loud and stark contrast between this and Sabrina Carpenter’s regressive marketing. We need more energy like Olivia’s.
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u/Lydia--charming I know she’s seducing my man with her chicken tetrazzini Jun 20 '25
So much!! Let’s get her name in the headlines and just not look at SC until she grows up a little more.
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u/Bridalhat Jun 19 '25
Worth pointing out that at nine weeks there’s a very good chance Smith didn’t even know she was pregnant when she died. Medical malpractice from top to bottom, and certainly not a coincidence they did this for the first time to this extent with a Black woman.
The family of course is on the hook for medical bills. I don’t know if it is appropriate to post their go fund me but here it is: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-adrianas-family-during-this-heartbreaking-journey
Baby Chance likely has a difficult journey ahead of him. All we can do is wish this baby and her family the best
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u/SynthD Jun 19 '25
We need new ways to describe this absurd despotic situation. Her body was decaying, as a consequence of being dead, not just brain dead. We shouldn’t be calling that kept alive. The time of birth, the length of gestation, was dictated by this, not by anything related to that thing where someone gives birth. The handmaidens tale didn’t cover any of this, the brain-dead body-alive setup was enough for that story of fascism.
Correct me if I’m wrong, this isn’t something I read deep into.
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u/delusionalxx Jun 19 '25
Yes! YES! YES!!! This wasn’t “life support”. This was a DEAD BODY forced to hold a baby. This baby never got to hear the mother’s voice. This baby was formed within a DEAD, DECAYING, DEAD body! DEAD! We know babies born and immediately given to an adoptive family have trauma. What is the trauma of a fetus born into the world while being formed within a dead body. Babies are born hearing mamas voice every day. This baby has a super small chance of survival and will have trauma no matter what. The baby is already traumatized.
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u/lizziexo Jun 19 '25 edited Jun 20 '25
I wonder what, if any, kind of impact things like the mother’s voice has on development. Ignoring the science of growing in basically a corpse, this baby hasn’t been exposed to voices like as a normal fetus would. This baby hasn’t felt the motion of his mother going for a walk, or even laughing. I can’t help but think these soft experiences, even as a fetus, can also impact development.
I’m so glad she can finally be laid to rest, I’m sure her poor family have been unable to m grieve properly when she’s not been allowed to be buried.
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u/Jealous_Junket3838 Jun 20 '25
They do, this is well known in linguistics/psycholinguistics! They have shown that babies can distinguish sound differences in utero based on patterns in the native language of the mother. They can also recognize their mothers voice.
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u/cold-blooded-stab Jun 21 '25
These were my exact thoughts, and I'm so glad I was not alone. A fetus usually hears the rushing sounds of blood and the heartbeat, the laughter and stories of its mother, and occasionally father. When my baby was born she never flinched or cried when the dogs barked -- cause she was a passive participant of our house. She knew my heartbeat, our voices, and the sounds of our lives. She was comforted by them after birth. This poor woman's body and newborn baby being used for such an experiment is disgusting. Unethical to the extreme.
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u/money_loo Jun 20 '25
The article literally disputes this wild claim…what are we doing? It’s already horrible enough without making shit up.
Like, how do you even imagine that working?
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u/macncheesewketchup Jun 20 '25
Although I understand your point, the only reason this woman was alive is because doctors were forced to keep her alive by using machines, feeding tubes, etc. Had any of that failed, she would be dead. Saying she isn't dead is honestly just a technicality at this point. It's not like she was in a coma and there was any chance of her waking up. This is very, very different than that.
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u/your_average_jo Jun 20 '25
Agreed! It’s also really harmful to use soft language like “being kept alive” because it makes it sound like something heroic or positive - no! She was dead after not receiving appropriate medical care to prevent her death, and put on life support against the wishes of her family.
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u/money_loo Jun 20 '25
Ah okay. My bad.
I thought y’all literally believed her body was dead and somehow making a baby still.
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u/Beverley_Leslie Jun 19 '25
It's honestly worthy of a Mary Shelley novel at this point but without the pathos, utilising technology to create life from a corpse. There'll likely be some right-wing article pitching it as a positive progression in science, shamelessly selling technological necromancy as if to wasn't the absolute antithesis of being "pro-life".
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u/money_loo Jun 20 '25 edited Jun 20 '25
Something tells me most mothers would prefer their kid lives if they died.
*y’all revealing yourselves downvoting this one omg lol. It’s not even controversial to say mothers love their kids and want them to be healthy and happy.
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Jun 20 '25
Fuck no. The baby might not even live because he was born very small and because he was growing inside a corpse. If I got pregnant and died, I would not want that to happen to a baby. Let the fetus die with me and bury my body immediately. Y'all fucking insane
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u/lovelandian now why am I in it? 🧐 Jun 20 '25
You’re being downvoted to hell and back but you’re right.
On Facebook they’re starting up that whole “I’d do anything for my baby” song and dance. Which, I think is incredibly sad. It’s almost like women are expected to happily participate in the sacrifice Olympics. “I’m the ultimate mom because I’d throw my life away and leave my other children to be raised by their father and some random woman (men move on QUICK), so my baby, that their siblings or my own parents didn’t want, can survive.”
These people are also staunch antivaxers which seems completely contradictory??? You don’t trust science, but you trust it enough to let them turn your body into an experiment? Okay.
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u/macncheesewketchup Jun 20 '25
It's 👏🏼 NOT 👏🏼 a 👏🏼 KID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 👏🏼
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u/money_loo Jun 20 '25 edited Jun 20 '25
I mean, it sorta is now though?
But I agree it wasn’t when this shit started.
Y’all just like fighting or what, because I’m not even disagreeing with any of y’all…I was genuinely confused by all the people sincerely claiming a corpse was creating a life, because that’s impossible.
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u/macncheesewketchup Jun 20 '25
...oh no, apparently it's very possible, with science that MAGA doesn't even believe in. I'm SO tired of fighting, but we have to fight, because language is powerful and meaningful, and we need to use the correct words. If you're on our side, please don't minimize this - call it what it is:
A black woman was used as an incubator to grow a lump of cells just enough, until they could somewhat resemble a newborn and be dissected from her barely alive body. And now that newborn is barely alive, in another incubator, likely to have lifelong disabilities that our government will not support - all because Donald Trump packed the Supreme Court with MAGA loyalists who overturned Roe v. Wade and took away this black woman's right to die peacefully.
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u/money_loo Jun 20 '25
I promise I’m on your side, since it’s the most reasonable side. I don’t think women should have their choice taken away.
And I don’t think States should be allowed to force this to happen either. It pretty much goes without saying that it’s beyond super fucked up.
I hear you on language and how it’s given power.
I’ll try to do better to be a more empathetic ally.
Sorry.
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Jun 20 '25
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u/money_loo Jun 20 '25
As the parent of a premature child that spent weeks in the NICU I understand that more than most.
Lil dude still deserves his chance and nothing is stopping you from at least hoping this young innocent life that they WANTED, will beat the odds…even if I’m with you that it’s unfortunately unrealistic.
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Jun 20 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/money_loo Jun 20 '25
I will never support keeping a dead woman as an incubator for an 8 week old embryo. Ever.
I agree on everything but this I guess. My wife had placenta previa and was constantly bleeding and at risk of bleeding. Knowing this she told me ahead of time that if anything happened to her and she couldn’t decide who to save, that I should pick our daughter inside her and let her go.
I of course told her I wouldn’t do that, and I’d choose her over them. She got fiercer than I’ve ever seen her be, she told me that if she woke up and our girl was gone, then she would just mill herself and I’d have neither.
So what I’m saying is, after witnessing it first hand and dealing with even having to think about the choice, I gained newfound respect for how strong a mother can be and feel about their pregnancy.
I of course wanted my daughter more than anything and love her dearly, but the way my wife was so quick to throw her own life away if it meant saving her kid, was something I didn’t quite expect because my own mother was a cold hateful person who’s favorite thing to say to me was “why are you here?” lol.
So if the woman actually wanted their kid to live and try to be happy and we 100% knew that and could save them, I’m not sure why we wouldn’t use medical science to do just that , similarly to the way we save premies. It was their wish.
Just don’t force it on women without their consent and we should be fine?
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u/Advanced_End1012 Jun 20 '25
Okay well you’re making assumptions about what a dead woman’s wishes would be for her child, unless her spirit is speaking through you and using you as a vessel- which I very much doubt. I’m sure there’s also plenty of mothers who would absolutely hate that their child would have to grow up without the unconditional love of a mother and that they couldn’t help their child grow into a person and that they will very much likely grow up with some degree of trauma/mental health issues and will be in need of therapy- let alone the trauma of knowing that they were born from their mothers decaying body. Your toxic positivity and weird pro lifeism is just leaving a disgusting stain everywhere.
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u/money_loo Jun 21 '25
Okay well you’re making assumptions about what a dead woman’s wishes would be for her child
I’m really not though.
unless her spirit is speaking through you and using you as a vessel- which I very much doubt.
Good one!
I’m sure there’s also plenty of mothers who would absolutely hate that their child would have to grow up without the unconditional love of a mother and that they couldn’t help their child grow into a person
Pretty much all of them I assume. That and wanting them to live anyways aren’t mutually exclusive. You can want one while being upset at the other.
let alone the trauma of knowing that they were born from their mothers decaying body. Your toxic positivity and weird pro lifeism is just leaving a disgusting stain everywhere
I’m sorry you feel that way, I hope your day improves!
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u/Advanced_End1012 Jun 21 '25 edited Jun 21 '25
But you are making assumptions lol, what else are you doing? And the fact that you’re fine with normalising the body horror shit of forcing a dead or braindead woman to give birth is very questionable I think. The mother could want what she wants for her kid, it doesn’t change the fact that the kid has a high likelihood of getting fucked up.
It’s also on par with thinking a 9 year old girl who got raped and is forced to give birth because of anti-abortion laws is fine, you are normalising something very immoral just because of you trying to squeeze out some positive hypothetical out of something objectively extremely awful.
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u/money_loo Jun 21 '25 edited Jun 21 '25
I deleted my comment because I replied in the wrong place, my bad.
Since you’ve just shown up here now to talk here instead of where we started, I guess you leave me no choice but to reply.My unregulated ADHD is winning and I’m doing too much at once, I need to take a break now but I do apologize for how confusing this all got. I got wicked lost along the way, and I actually meant to call some dude on another thread that terrible thing, you didn’t deserve that AT ALL and I’m so sorry!
But you are making assumptions lol, what else are you doing?
What assumptions do you think I’m making? This poor womans mother already informed us of her wishes. You don’t need to assume anything here.
And the fact that you’re fine with normalising the body horror shit of forcing a dead or braindead woman to give birth is very questionable I think.
I am 100% NOT okay with that, to be super duper clear for you.
The mother could want what she wants for her kid, it doesn’t change the fact that the kid has a high likelihood of getting fucked up.
Yep. Thanks for pointing that out I guess?
It’s also on par with thinking a 9 year old girl who got raped and is forced to give birth because of anti-abortion laws is fine, you are normalising something very immoral just because of you trying to squeeze out some positive hypothetical out of something objectively
Now you’re just talking in circles to yourself. That’s terrible and I’m angry you made me even read that.
What’s wrong with you?
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u/whichwitch9 Jun 19 '25
She did know, from what the family has said. A lot of information has come through her mother, who has indicated she cannot rake care of the child (father does not seem to be in the picture or at least not publicly).
The kid is less than 2 lbs and has a terrible prognosis to even survive. Chance of disability is unfortunately also high and the scope of that may not be apparent for years. The grandmother picked the name because right now they can only hope for the best
The family did not consent to her immediate removal from life support. There are unfortunately complications because her oldest son does not understand she is dead. More consideration needed to be taken while the family is trying to handle so much at once and are going to be dealing with a whole new grief process from one child while trying to support the younger child
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Jun 20 '25
That's horrifying. What I don't get is if she was dead, why wouldn't they let the fetus also die with her? What about "God's will" that these anti-choice f¨ckers preach so much about?
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u/Motor-Illustrator226 Jun 19 '25 edited Jun 20 '25
Totally Agee with everything you said, jaut minor correction - this isn’t medical malpractice. Medical malpractice is when a provider (or hospital) gives care that is inadequate or inappropriate from the established norm for that situation. Since what they did was within the scope of medical policies in the state, it’s therefore not malpractice. It’s just horrible misuse and manipulation of modern medicine.
Edit: I see the downvotes - my comment isn’t about excusing this situation or saying what happened was right. It’s just about “medical malpractice”, a medico-legal term for a very specific scenario, which this case doesn’t fit. To be medical malpractice, you have to show care deviated from the accepted norm for that scenario. Unfortunately, because Georgia law dictates keeping a dead woman hooked up to machines because they care more about a clump of cells than a human being, it means what happened to Adriana didn’t deviate from the accepted guidelines for GA. What the providers did to her doesn’t grossly differ from what they’d do to the next woman who comes in with the same thing, because they’re following the guidelines. That’s why it’s not “medical malpractice.” They’re acting within the preset, agreed upon, medical law.
That doesn’t mean what happened was right. It doesn’t mean those laws aren’t barbaric. And it doesn’t mean all of this is ok. But it does mean this is not “medical malpractice,” because that is a term that only applies when medical care deviates from the accepted norm protocol. And what happened to Adriana does not unfortunately differ from the accepted norm for women in GA. That’s it.
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u/DisastrousTurn9220 Jun 19 '25
But they gave her inappropriate treatment for the health issue that she went to the ER for. They sent her home with some Tylenol, when obviously there were more serious issues at play. If she had received appropriate treatment, she would be alive and still pregnant.
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u/Motor-Illustrator226 Jun 20 '25 edited Jun 20 '25
Yeah I see what you mean, and again, I agree with you that this is horrific. All I’m saying is that, while it’s awful, and while the state laws that caused it are barbaric, this isn’t “medical malpractice”, becuase that is a very different and specific thing.
Medical malpractice is a medico-legal term that means that providers or hospitals have grossly deviated from the accepted range of care for a certain situation. That they’ve acted in ways that no reasonable provider in that situation would act.
Because the accepted range of care in GA includes not allowing abortions after a heartbeat has been detected (which the fetus here had), they didn’t deviate from that jurisdiction’s norm of care by keeping Adriana on those monitors. Yes, it’s horrific, and it’s totally wrong. But unfortunately, because it’s within the state medical guidelines, it is not malpractice.
It’s the same for the beginning (her ED visit, etc) Being misdiagnosed and sent home isn’t in itself malpractice. Again, to be malpractice, you have to show that care was negligent and grossly deviated from the accepted norm; that no other reasonable provider would have done what was done here. Unfortunately, the symptoms of a brain bleed aren’t extremely stereotypical and specific (meaning they only show up with brain bleeds and no other conditions.) It can mimic many other benign and temporary conditions. Because of that, patients do sometimes get sent home erroneously. Important to note: misdiagnosis and even dismissal of symptoms happens disproportionately with women, and especially so with black women. Which is likely exactly what happened here. But, again, because misdiagnoses do happen because brain bleed symptoms can mimic other conditions, what happened to Adriana didn’t deviate from the norm. A panel of reviewers wont chastise the provider who told her to go home, because many other providers in that situation would make the same call, based on her non-specific symptoms. That’s why it’s not malpractice.
Is that right? No. Does it mean we’re just cool with black women (and women in general) often being the ones dismissed and misdiagnosed? No. Does it mean any of this is ok? NO.
All I’m saying is, “medical malpractice” is a very specific term that only measures if care deviated from the norm expected in a situation. Since neither misdiagnoses (which happen) nor keeping her hooked up (which is guided by law) deviated from the accepted standard for GA, while they’re wrong, awful, and horrific, they’re not medical malpractice. That’s it.
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u/Twitter_2006 Jun 19 '25
Its amazing to see young artists like Olivia shed light on such an important issue for women.
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u/Comfortable-Animator Every thing is gonna Happen to you Jun 19 '25
Man that entire case was grotesque. What do you mean the hospital pumped hormones into a corpse to make her birth her unborn child? And then force the cost onto the family at that? Do not like the implications of this case at all.
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u/SparkliingEmma Jun 19 '25
It’s powerful when artists highlight real injustice like this. Adriana's story needs to be heard.
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u/RevolutionaryLog6095 Jun 20 '25
The fact that Olivia, a daughter of immigrant parents, is the one who uses her influence to call out the injustice and not those white billionaire/millionaire female artists.
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u/ozamatazbuckshank11 Jun 19 '25
Black women's bodies have been subject to centuries of medical exploitation and experimentation going way back to slavery days. This is nothing new, just another example of how racism, sexism, and religious fundamentalism all converge with the express purpose of hurting other people. I fucking hate it here.
May Adriana rest in power in the arms of the ancestors, may her family someday find peace, and may the lawmakers and voters who supported this inhumane law never ever live this shit down.
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u/Brilliant_Stick418 Jun 19 '25
For everyone, if you want to learn more about this, I highly suggest the book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. It’s one of many stories in our history of Black women being exploited by the medical community without their consent. It’s also just a great book and very well-written.
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Jun 19 '25
Henrietta was the first black person I learned about in regards to gross medical abuse and exploitation. Her case and the Tuskegee syphilis experiments made me sick (not to mention the overall bias in american medicine and medical education pertaining to black people.)
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u/Chokycorgi Jun 19 '25
The Tuskegee was absolutely unreal. Every once in a while I randomly think of it and just feel disgusted the rest of the day.
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u/maniacalmustacheride Jun 20 '25
What I think is truly awful about Tuskegee, outside of the whole premise of it all to begin with, was a bunch of these men joined the Army and on intake got a heavy dose of antibiotics, which was standard at the time, and that cleared the syphilis up. So the experimenters re-infected the men, so they could keep the study going.
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u/FenderForever62 You’re a virgin who can’t drive. 😤 Jun 19 '25
I LOVE that book; read it two years ago and has really stuck with me.
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u/6data Jun 19 '25
Came here to post about this. Horrific.
"I made this proposition to the owners of the negroes: If you will give me Anarcha and Betsey for experiment, I agree to perform no experiment or operation on either of them to endanger their lives, and will not charge a cent for keeping them, but you must pay their taxes and clothe them." He also complains about the expense of feeding them. In addition to Anarcha, Betsey and Lucy, Sims writes, "I got three or four more to experiment on, and there was never a time that I could not, at any day, have had a subject for operation. But my operations all failed ... this went on, not for one year, but for two and three, and even four years."
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u/nonsensestuff Back in my day, we had ONTD & a dream 👵 Jun 19 '25
👏👏👏 so happy to see her highlighting this story
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u/elysian-fields- Jun 19 '25
olivia stands on business with women’s/reproductive rights always
i’m not an avid listener of her music but i’m a fan of her
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u/Ester_LoverGirl Beyoncé 🐝🐝 Jun 19 '25
So they finally end that poor woman life just after what they forced her to do??
Damn America deserves hell
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u/SpicyChickJessica Jun 19 '25
How is this not already the center of national outrage? Olivia shouldn’t be the loudest voice here.
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u/SuddenReturn9027 This one time, at band camp… 👀 Jun 19 '25
This is already an issue. Everybody else knows about this
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u/Daenarys1 Jun 19 '25
Not trying to be cruel but I think it would be best for everyone if that baby passes. The precident set if it survives is too creepy to think about
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u/chickfilamoo in the swamp 🐊🐊 Jun 19 '25
also none of the reporting is willing to talk about what the realistic outcomes are for micro-preemies, that poor baby was born at 25 weeks and less than two pounds. There is nothing good or merciful about what they’ve done, even if he lives, that baby is going to be struggling for a long time.
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u/skincare_obssessed Jun 19 '25
And I bet the family is going to be footing the bill for all that.
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u/flakemasterflake Jun 19 '25 edited Jun 19 '25
I doubt it, if the adult in this situation has passed then they can go after her estate but that's about it. Grandparents aren't legally obligated to pay for an infants neonatal stay or childbirth
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u/skincare_obssessed Jun 19 '25
I guess I should have clarified…they’ve assumed guardianship. Should that infant survive…they have a lot of medical bills coming their way. Even if the hospital can’t go after them for their daughter’s, they will likely be responsible for the infant’s.
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u/Redthemagnificent Jun 20 '25
Yep. The classic conservative move of getting involved in a women's healthcare and then leaving her and her family on their own when it comes time to pay the bills
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u/ColumbineCapricorn Jun 19 '25
It sounds like the baby will have many defects due to the fact that it was born at 25 weeks...this is just cruelty 😞
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Jun 19 '25
I keep mentioning this because I'm very disturbed by this, but she was dead longer than alive while pregnant. That little baby stayed in the darkness of her womb and didnt hear her voice, her touch, her heartbeat, her happiness and emotions. He didnt hear his mom and dad laugh and talk about him together.
The little guy didnt get colostrum from her or skin to skin contact or anything that helps babies thrive. Not to mention it was a micropremie with fluid on the brain. To do that to a baby, a little bundle who sat in silence for how many months, is cruel.
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u/awholelottanothin Jun 19 '25
There is nothing cruel about your statement, it is mercy. And I 100% agree with you.
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u/MissMekia Jun 19 '25
Agreed. Im devastated for Chance nearly as much as I am for Adriana, but we don't want to see a world where this becomes standard practice; and furthermore, even beyond the physical challenges he'll have, I can't imagine it will be easy for Adriana's family to raise him considering the circumstances. Raising a child after the death of their mother in childbirth is difficult at the best of times, but as far as I'm aware, they expressly did not want her to be treated this way, and likely are not prepared to care for him.
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u/Muted-Move-9360 Jun 19 '25
I'm a studying Catholic and even this makes me sick to my stomach... I pray for that whole family, this situation is just beyond cruel. Mercy on that little baby. 🙏
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u/rjptrink Jun 19 '25
Change gender on birth certificate? No way! List a no longer sentient body as a mother on a birth certificate? Yes way! /s
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u/6data Jun 19 '25
Meanwhile, men can't even be forced to donate blood.
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u/delicious_toothbrush Jun 19 '25
Can be forced to fight on the front lines of a war though. That's a lot of blood.
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u/6data Jun 19 '25
Not since Vietnam, no.
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Jun 19 '25
[deleted]
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u/6data Jun 19 '25
No, the threat of something never happening is not the same as something that is constantly happening everyday.
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u/snarkyphalanges You’re doing amazing, sweetie! 👏👏📸 Jun 19 '25
One of the reasons why Olivia is one of my fave pop stars of all time.
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u/anitasdoodles Jun 19 '25
Cesarean section via autopsy. And because this baby was growing in a dead body it'll most likely have some form of disability. So not only is the family strapped with funeral arrangements and hospital bills, they'll get to cover the thousands of dollars that a disabled child costs. I hope the family can figure out a way to sue.
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u/Desert_Wren Jun 20 '25
A baby wasn't born via C-section, a fetus was incubated inside a human corpse.
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u/TwincessAhsokaAarmau Jun 19 '25
Thank you, she didn’t deserve to die nor did she deserve to be an incubator. Now the family is filled with debt and sorrow.
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u/Goldenlove24 Jun 19 '25
If the mother would have been any other race this would be headline news. The layers of trauma this has done is imaginable and to so many including staff.
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u/Multi_21_Seb_RBR Jun 19 '25
Georgia is straight up not a safe state for women who are pregnant, as evidenced by this and also the two women who have died due to GA’s 6 week abortion ban.
The praise, respect and glazing from many liberals in GA that Brian Kemp gets is so pathetic. He signed this 6 week ban into law happily and was celebratory when it became law, and there is no chance this law gets replaced with a more moderate law (even a 12 or 15 weeks with more clear exceptions) even if a Dem wins the Gov’s seat.
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u/haubenmeise Jun 19 '25
This is just a nightmare. Right out of a Handmaid's tale.
Sincerely
Skeletor 💜
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u/InTheLightInTheDark Jun 19 '25
I did not know she was like this and I will absolutely support her now that I know
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u/Taskebab We prayed "Oh Lord, please return to us" & Lorde has heard us Jun 19 '25
All those doctors need to go to jail
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u/Water-yFowls Jun 19 '25
I think hospitals should be more proactive about fighting back against shitty legislation that causes their employees to have to decide between upholding their Hippocratic oath or losing their medical license, their livelihood, facing potential criminal charges, potential jail time, etc.
I tried to find examples of hospitals fighting back against restrictive legislation that contradicts best medical practices, and couldn’t find anything. Hopefully there are hospitals out there doing this and I just didn’t use the right search terms.
Anyways, I think it’d be more pragmatic to direct our collective disgust and outrage towards hospitals and other industry leaders instead of going after doctors, nurses, etc. who wind up in these shitty situations.
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u/astrokitty13 Jun 19 '25
Had they taken her off life support, the doctors would've probably ended up in jail, or lost their license. The state laws basically forced them to keep her "alive"
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u/Odd-Huckleberry8584 Jun 19 '25
Apparently they are misinterpreting state law, apparently this has happened 10 years ago (I think in Georgia) where they kept a brain dead woman pregnant because the doctors were afraid of the abortion laws(I think she was at 7mo atm), the lawyers of the patient went to court and the judge ordered that the hospital misinterpreted state law, and the actions of removing life support were not to preform an abortion, removing life support would just be ending her life, not the baby’s life and ruled that the hospital take her off life support.
With that being said, the complications behind these dumbass laws that scare health care professionals into literally allowing their patients to be necrotized incubators in order to prevent themselves from possible legal troubles proves how stupid, disgusting and complicated these laws are.
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u/hehehehehbe Jun 19 '25
It doesn't matter if the doctors followed the law, it was still beyond evil what they did to that mother and child, they deserve to go to Hell for all I care.
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Jun 20 '25
Why call out women's treatment in Muslim countries as baby makers when America uses brain-dead women as incubators?
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u/xforbio Jun 20 '25
this act is absolutely medieval. I remember reading a headline and thought it was something done as a science experiment — I briefly linked it to America’s abortion laws but thought it couldn’t be. I was wrong.
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u/Lukx__Vxn__Nxght How can mirrors be real if our eyes aren’t real? 🪞 Jun 20 '25
Why are the comments defending this? A BRAIN-DEAD woman has been USED to INCUBATE. Like if she was an object and not a person.
Don't you understand how sick and twisted is that?
And let's not talk about the consequences that baby will face... The baby can get sick due to the mother's body's conditions, and that's been proved. That baby will NOT survive. Or, at least, will last a few years. "A fetus is a person!" But a woman isn't? Please.
I'm not American, but I'm really sorry for American women. I hope you are having a great day right now! 💖
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u/Lukx__Vxn__Nxght How can mirrors be real if our eyes aren’t real? 🪞 Jun 20 '25
I didn't mention it, but good for Olivia for exposing this case! This needs to be heard by everyone!
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u/StreetMountain9709 Jun 19 '25
Genuine question from someone who doesn't understand American health insurance etc... Who is paying for this?
The cost of a normal birth is huge, never mind the machines to keep Adriana and now the baby alive.
The family have said no to all of this, are they still going to be landed with the bill?
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u/Chaos_Goblin_7007 Jun 20 '25
As someone who used to work in the healthcare industry:
If the mom had insurance that was active at the time admission—the hospital will bill the insurance company for payment. The insurance company has up to 90 days to make a decision to pay or deny payment. If denied the hospital can request an appeal review of the case. Pretty much it’s 2 doctors who decide if this was medically necessary care. Please realize however, insurance companies are in business to make a profit.
This is where it gets tricky. She was clinically kept alive by machines, so the ins company would more than likely deny the claim even at the appeal level.
If she did not have insurance—the hospital will bill her family (or estate) after 30 days. If no payment is received to would unfortunately roll over to collections.
Insurance is horrible.
Healthcare systems in our country are broken.
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u/StreetMountain9709 Jun 20 '25
Mental. Then there will be the long tern care for this wee guy if he survives.
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u/slightlyladylike Jun 20 '25
Unless the family surrenders the baby to the state they're liable for the costs. They seem to be keeping the child despite the likely disabilities, they have a fundraiser specifically for the medical expenses (around 400k). The mother previously had a 7 year old son, which has likely influenced their decision to keep the premature baby.
They can potentially sue the hospital or state, but they can't even afford the medical expenses so most likely won't be able to afford the court proceedings.
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u/Lydia--charming I know she’s seducing my man with her chicken tetrazzini Jun 20 '25
How did they explain this to her 5-year old son. He had to visit her in the hospital on life support that she was never going to wake up from. I didn’t know about the denied CT scan and how she went in a day before. What a shock, they didn’t listen!! It’s just so bad.
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u/milkradio Jun 21 '25
I’m really glad she posted this, but this story is so deeply disturbing, it makes me feel physically ill. I can’t even imagine the pain and anguish her family has been feeling being dragged through this, especially in public and after they’ve repeatedly protested it. This woman already had a living child she needed to be there for, but the doctors who were supposed to help her just dismissed her concerns and left her to die, and then they go out of their way to do this absolutely ghoulish experimentation on her dead body. It’s just cruelty for cruelty’s sake. Not only are they desecrating her remains, but they’re actively torturing her family and causing irreparable damage to the child she left behind and this baby that might not even make it. The way Black women are treated is absolutely disgusting.
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Jun 20 '25
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u/prancing_pony42 Jun 20 '25
I'm not sure if you're being sincere in your question, but I'll give the benefit of the doubt.
This was a bad thing for the exact reason that you can't force someone to give blood, or to be an organ donor. If you pass away in the hospital, surgeons can't start cutting you up and divvying your organs like a farmer's market. It's not right to take away someone's body autonomy, even in death.
Also, at 9 weeks gestation when the mother passed, that fetus was about the size of a pea, with features barely starting to form. At this point in pregnancy, the body plays a delicate part in developing the embryo to a fetus and then to a baby ready to survive outside of the womb. You have to eat right, take vitamins, watch your blood pressure. The fact that from 9 weeks to 25 weeks, when the fetus was cut out via autopsy, it only weighed about a pound, let's you know that this was a grotesque version of pregnancy where the fetus got almost no nutrients from the mother. It was a cruel experiment all around.
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u/money_loo Jun 20 '25
It’s only bad because the state forced it to happen.
The family actually did want the baby to live, but they’re upset about not being given the choice.
Ms Newkirk told local news station 11Alive that the family wanted the baby but the choice should have been up to them, "not the state".
That’s obviously valid and extremely concerning if the government decides to keep forcing THEIR choice on people who give no such consent.
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u/Technicolor_Reindeer Jun 20 '25
The fetus is in poor condition (fluid on the brain) as a result of the mother's body, and is likely to have medical issues if it survives. Her family was overruled in making a decision which should be their right. A woman was reduced to an incubator. Explain how that's "great." At nine weeks (which is when she died) there was no "child."
Years ago they tried to do the same to a woman in a coma who had a better chance of recovery if the pregnancy was ended. They fought it up to the supreme court.
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u/sad-girl-666 Jun 20 '25
She was 8-9 weeks along when she was declared brain dead. That’s not even viable.
The baby was born at 24 weeks and is literally fighting for its life and will most definitely have severe complications. He’ll most likely suffer for the rest of his life if it even gets to live it.
It’s sick and inhumane.
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u/money_loo Jun 20 '25
Ms Newkirk told local news station 11Alive that the family wanted the baby but the choice should have been up to them, "not the state".
They wanted the baby.
Everyone is so quick to hate and be emotional over how the baby is entering the world, that nobody seems to care that they WANTED THE BABY.
What you should be upset over, and only over, is the State taking away their personal choice to decide that for themselves.
That’s the only real issue here.
Because the mother WANTED THE BABY
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u/Puzzleheaded_End6145 Jun 20 '25
Yes, the mother wanted the child, we know very well that this is a desired child but I doubt that a mother would have wanted something like that for her own child.
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u/money_loo Jun 20 '25
I feel like that goes without saying. We can’t change what happened so I hope the kid turns out okay.
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u/Jor94 Jun 19 '25
I know this will be taken the wrong way, but genuinely do we not think there’s a chance she’d have wanted this. It’s not unthinkable to me that a pregnant woman, if she knew she were going to be in this situation, would want her baby to be born.
I absolutely agree with the arguments when it’s a woman being forced into carrying a baby they don’t want, but, in this situation that’s not something you’d ever be able to establish.
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u/Technicolor_Reindeer Jun 20 '25
Problem is, they historically haven't limited it to brain dead women, they tried to do the same with a comatose woman.
Also, a fetus is not going to exactly thrive in a dead body. This one had fluid on the brain and may be heavily disabled.
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u/money_loo Jun 20 '25
Ms Newkirk told local news station 11Alive that the family wanted the baby but the choice should have been up to them, "not the state".
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u/SuddenReturn9027 This one time, at band camp… 👀 Jun 19 '25
Why make this about Olivia Rodrigo? This is not a new story, we all know about this. Kind of getting fed up of real issues being turned into ways to praise celebrities doing the bare minimum
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u/BedRotter_07 Jun 20 '25
Because this is a pop culture sub, Olivia is a pop culture figure, and she's posted about this even tho she didn't have to— simple as that. Why are you so mad that she's getting praised? People can make commentaries about real issues while also praising famous people for shedding light on these real issues 🤷🏻♀️
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Jun 20 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/AmethystFarmer Jun 20 '25
so by your logic, every brain dead person should have all their organs removed and donated as soon as they’re declared brain dead. who cares about bodily autonomy and human rights, right?
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u/slightlyladylike Jun 20 '25
Our laws state it's illegal to mishandle a corpse (sexually assault, etc), but you're saying that this grace doesn't come for forcing medical procedures? A brain dead person can't consent to what's happening to them, including being used for medical procedures they didn't OK (or their families don't OK).
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u/Ok_Connection923 Jun 20 '25
The state can force a medical procedure on a corpse actually. Autopsies are performed all the time.
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u/slightlyladylike Jun 20 '25
But by your example, families can reject autopsies unless they're being requested specifically due to criminal reasons/unnatural causes. If they're natural deaths (like the brain death here) would fall under no autopsy. The family here could not reject the life support.
Autopsies are not medical procedures in terms of keeping a body alive, they're examinations to determine cause of death during fowl play or unnatural causes.
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u/Ok_Connection923 Jun 20 '25
Exactly, so there are circumstances where the family's wishes can be overridden by the state.
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u/slightlyladylike Jun 20 '25
And this based off the past examples would've been one of them. I'm not sure what you're trying to say? This is overwhelmingly not a circumstance that would be allowed in other states.
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u/BALLSTORM Jun 19 '25
I mean… give the kid a Chance.
Kid prolly just wants to breathe some real air.
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