CANADA - Robyn Benson, Brain Dead, 22w Preg, Life Support

[faw720]

Please check out the updates on this page. The father outlines possible actions the doctors are considering.

Sorry!! This link does have an update, but possible doctor actions are on something else that I've read. I'll have to go searching again.

 

[faw720]

Here is the link to the 3 possible scenarios that doctors will follow. This is taken from Dylon's blog.

http://misterbenson.com/posts/first-big-update-from-the-hospital/

JMO, it appears that doctors are really being compassionate & informative with the baby's father.

 

[kmclaren]

Baby Iver has been born!



There's an update on the youcaring site.. The pic was posted on the local radio station facebook page...

 

[craftybatchy]

It's a great sign that Baby Iver appears to be on CPAP rather than a oral airway.
Hoping for the best for both father and son.

 

[Donjeta]

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/me...es+healthy+baby+Iver+Cohen/9491925/story.html
http://www.theprovince.com/news/Bab...ve+weeks+Victoria+hospital/9491964/story.html
Although doctors wanted to keep Robyn alive until her 34th week of pregnancy, she held on as long as she could, said Benson.

“It’s earlier than we planned,” he said. “(We) had hoped to get to week 30 before delivering, but we made it as far as we could. On Saturday, when Robyn was 28 weeks and one day, the time was right for us and for Iver.”

 

[nursebeeme]

so sad about Robyn :-( rest in peace, Robyn :rose:

but great news about the baby! He looks just adorable!

 

[K_Z]

It's a great sign that Baby Iver appears to be on CPAP rather than a oral airway.
Hoping for the best for both father and son.

He sure does look good for a 28 weeker!

Welcome Baby Iver! What a bittersweet birth. He will be a wonderful dad.

 

[nursebeeme]

he sure does look good for 28 weeks and he is big (for that age). He is just so precious!

 

[txsvicki]

Very sad.. Another young pregnant woman with a brain hemmorage. I wonder if the pregnancy does anything to bring on this brain hemmorage...or is it just a coincidence?

It's been years ago, but my cousin died of the same thing while pregnant. She had complained of a horrible headache and her husband was out of town. Doctors said that she was probably born with a weakness in a vessel and the extra demands of pregnancy caused it to burst.

 

[jjenny]

Thanks. I was beginning to doubt my trusty calculator (a.k.a. counting on my fingers).



K_Z - Marlise experienced total brain death, including loss of brain stem function, correct ? I assume that is why her pressures were so unstable, not to mention the obvious deterioration of her body.

Robyn Benson was still breathing when she was found. Although her husband has said she is brain dead, media articles have stated that her brain stem is still functioning and her body is not beginning to show signs of deterioration ie. MM, JM.

I wonder if the medical team caring for RB has informed her husband that she will never regain complete consciousness or function, but existing in a PVS ? In my understanding, if her brain stem is still showing perfusion and maintaining her respiratory and cardiac function, that isn't total brain death, is it ?

I haven't seen any articles stating RB's brain stem was still functioning.
She is described as brain dead, which means non-functioning brain stem.

"She was rushed to hospital unresponsive and declared brain-dead the next day. Doctors had been keeping her body functioning until the baby could be delivered."
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/briti...incredible-says-father-dylan-benson-1.2532703

 

[jjenny]

http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/04/world/americas/canada-brain-dead-woman/index.html

IMO, this link clears up some of the confusion. Doctors are hoping to maintain the pregnancy for 7 more weeks. Differences in this case & the Munoz case are addressed.

I don't think that article addresses its accurately. Doctors never said Munoz fetus was never going to become viable. The fetus wasn't viable at the time of the court hearing, because it's gestation was below 24 weeks. It was presumably abnormal, but that that doesn't mean it was never going to become viable.

 

[sherbetjello]

I wish the dad and Iver the best.

<3

 

[jjenny]

Another similar case.

"Angel was delivered via C-section just before noon that day. At 30 weeks, 3 days, he weighed just under 3 pounds but came out screaming."

http://www.livewellnebraska.com/hea...cle_9c9aa42e-ef8e-11e4-a274-1f2fe3082a89.html

 

[K_Z]

I saw the Nebraska story, too. What a joy and a blessing in the face of such tragedy. The mom in that case was quite young, only 22. They were able to donate heart and kidneys, as well, which will help at least 3 other sick people. I'm glad her body was in good enough condition to gestate the baby another 54 days, and get the baby strong enough to be delivered, and that her organs weren't damaged. That is pretty amazing!

I am very supportive of prolonged somatic support for brain dead pregnant women, when the fetus is older than 21-22 weeks, and not too compromised from the circumstances of the mother's brain death. I just don't think the science supports trying at less than 20 weeks gestation, or in instances of prolonged maternal cardiac arrest. Those are all politically motivated experiments, IMO.

But I'm quite happy for the Nebraska baby! Not even intubated in the pics. Wow!

 

[jjenny]

I saw the Nebraska story, too. What a joy and a blessing in the face of such tragedy. The mom in that case was quite young, only 22. They were able to donate heart and kidneys, as well, which will help at least 3 other sick people. I'm glad her body was in good enough condition to gestate the baby another 54 days, and get the baby strong enough to be delivered, and that her organs weren't damaged. That is pretty amazing!

I am very supportive of prolonged somatic support for brain dead pregnant women, when the fetus is older than 21-22 weeks, and not too compromised from the circumstances of the mother's brain death. I just don't think the science supports trying at less than 20 weeks gestation, or in instances of prolonged maternal cardiac arrest. Those are all politically motivated experiments, IMO.

But I'm quite happy for the Nebraska baby! Not even intubated in the pics. Wow!

There is a Hungarian woman who was at 15 weeks gestation and was kept on life support to deliver a baby at 27 weeks gestation that survived.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...days-after-mother-is-declared-brain-dead.html