Debates arise as an Associate Professor from the University of Oslo, Anna Smajdor, proposes the use of brain-dead women as surrogates in an attempt to create alternatives for those who do not wish or are unable to go through the maternity process. She compares this to organ donation, and how the women would have to consent prior to being kept alive as surrogates. This raises questions about ethics in the medical industry.

Brain death can be caused by a number of reasons, such as cardiac arrest or a stroke. A person who is brain-dead lives off of artificial life support and no longer has any brain functions; they are legally declared dead. This person will never regain consciousness again nor will they breathe by themselves again either. It should be noted that brain death is not the same as a vegetative state. A person in a vegetative state has chances, however slim, to recover. 

Pregnancy and birth, despite the mother being brain dead, have happened before. In 2019, a 27-year-old Czech woman was declared brain dead after 6 days of hospitalization. The doctors then shifted their focus on supporting the growth of the fetus in her—with one method being stimulating walking by regularly moving the mother’s legs—resulting in the birth of a healthy baby girl after 117 days of gestation. The mother was then allowed to die. This proves that, with the right equipment and treatment, birth during brain death is possible. 

However, the question is not whether it is possible, but if it is ethical.

The entire idea behind Smajdor’s proposal can be summed up in a couple of sentences, as quoted by Smajdor herself: “We cannot yet forego the uterus altogether for the reproduction of our species. But we can transfer the risks of gestation to those who are no longer able to be harmed by them.” Many people worry that, despite the emphasis on consent, this may open the door to using women’s bodies without prior notice, especially if there are dire circumstances. Outraged social media users call it a “total societal moral collapse”, adding that this idea sounds utterly dystopian. In order to appease “feminist objections”, Smajdor adds that brain-dead men can also be used, but does not elaborate further than that. 

Smajdor claims that birth after brain death has already been proven to be possible, however many wonder about the chances of producing a healthy baby from a patient in such a poor state. To add fuel to the fire, Smajdor blames the lack of data on brain-dead surrogacy on the cowardice displayed in the medical industry to take steps towards a breakthrough. Smajdor firmly stands her point of removing kindness and compassion in healthcare, as she believes hospital staff should be able to move about their day and complete their tasks without empathy and kindness. She calls it “an unnecessary component”, which further angers the public.

Smajdor’s proposition goes to show how careless some people are with women’s rights to their own bodies. While the thought of solving such a problem is not inherently wrong, the constant barrage against women continues to be normalized. First, banning abortion, and now someone wants to keep brain-dead women alive solely for the purpose of being a gestation pod. The lack of compassion for women is unfortunate, but not surprising. As said by Jennifer Pedraza, a member of Congress, “Women are not utensils to be thrown away after use, women have human rights, even if some people forget this.”

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Sources : 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-11705261/Should-brain-dead-women-kept-alive-used-SURROGATES.html

https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/body/health/a42771871/brain-dead-women-surrogate/#:~:text=An%20idea%20put%20forward%20by,a%20baby%20of%20their%20own.

https://www.womenshealthmag.com/uk/health/a42773281/brain-stem-dead-women-surrogates-backlash/

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/brain-death/#:~:text=Brain%20death%20(also%20known%20as,is%20legally%20confirmed%20as%20dead.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-czech-birth-idUSKCN1VN1HQ

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