Mum gives birth four months after being declared brain dead

A mum who was been brain dead for nearly four months has given birth to a healthy baby boy in Portugal.

“The baby boy, weighing 2.35 kilos (5lb, 3oz), was born after 32 weeks without complications and by caesarean section,” announced the Lisbon hospital that carried out the procedure, BBC News reports.

Mum was declared brain dead on February 20 after suffering a brain haemorrhage, the hospital said.

“The foetus appeared to be in good health,” it added, so “the decision was taken with the family to follow through with the pregnancy”.

Her life-support system was turned off hours after the baby boy’s birth.

“It was a long 55-day battle. We doctors wanted the little man to grow as big as possible but there came a day when there was a real danger to his life, so we opted for delivery.”

It is the longest a child has survived in the womb in Portugal after his mother was declared brain-dead.

In January, a baby boy was born in Wroclaw, Poland, after surviving for 55 days in the womb of his mother, who was declared brain-dead after a tumour.

He weighed only 1kg (2.2lbs) at birth, and was allowed home in April.

A baby is born in Portugal to a woman who has been brain-dead for almost four months, hospital officials in Lisbon… https://t.co/CbM8Op3gRI

— TunPress (@TunpressTV) June 8, 2016

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18 Comments

- - meedee said
  - 29 May 2021
    10:12 am
How wonderful for the family to have such a beautiful gift to love and care for.

- - tania_hardman said
  - 21 Jul 2016
    9:03 am
Oh so sad 🙁 The family now have a little blessing and beautiful reminder of their loved one but tinged with sadness as well 🙁

- - mom172741 said
  - 20 Jul 2016
    9:21 am
What a bittersweet day for the father, welcoming his little baby but truly saying goodbye to the mother.

- - june11 said
  - 01 Jul 2016
    9:47 pm
A miracle baby indeed.I am glad the baby has grown enough to go home with his dad.

- - ella12 said
  - 15 Jun 2016
    2:37 pm
Oh my goodness, that is just extraordinary.

- - rovermum said
  - 15 Jun 2016
    9:40 am
This is an amazing and miraculous story. That this baby can be saved from such tragedy. It truly is heartwarming and something the family will have in memory of this woman.

- - cherz said
  - 09 Jun 2016
    10:27 pm
What a heart breaking story. Wishing bub a happy and healthy life and may mom rest in peace and watch over him from heaven.

- - mom101628 said
  - 09 Jun 2016
    9:47 pm
What a bitter-sweet moment – joy that the baby has survived so well, yet knowing that it’s goodbye to your wife/daughter/and baby’s mum. What can you say?

- - mom90758 said
  - 09 Jun 2016
    9:14 pm
Incredible. Something you wouldn’t thought possible years ago! What a pity that he doesn’t have a mother though. 🙁

- - Lori-Anne said
  - 09 Jun 2016
    9:12 am
It is amazing what cam be achieved these days. I find it hard though that this child will grow up Motherless (I am not saying that they shouldn’t have done what they did because they saved the little one). I hope the family truly treasures what they have gained through a tragic loss.

- - tessie said
  - 09 Jun 2016
    7:51 am
It would have been a bitter sweet moment for the family. I’m sure the mother would have wanted her baby to survive without her. Wishing them all the best for the future.

- - mum4107 said
  - 08 Jun 2016
    9:58 pm
What a very emotiional journey for all involved. I’m glad the baby is ok

- - robyn_smithwick said
  - 08 Jun 2016
    8:08 pm
This is sad yet at the same time the opposite.

- - BellaB said
  - 08 Jun 2016
    4:38 pm
Very difficult for the family. A difficult decision in the first place.

- - pplover2013 said
  - 08 Jun 2016
    3:18 pm
What a beautiful outcome for the family of this mother and baby. I hope this little bundle will bring a lifetime of love and joy to everyone. May this boy be forever watched over by his loving mum.

- - Nas01 said
  - 08 Jun 2016
    1:00 pm
Both a fantastic result and tragic circumstances. May she rest in peace and look after her little Bub from heaven.

- - Sam said
  - 08 Jun 2016
    12:51 pm
just breaks my heart … RIP to the Mumma. Hope bub has lots of loved ones with him reminding him of his Mum <3

- - mom160421 said
  - 08 Jun 2016
    12:42 pm
A new life is always a beautiful miraculous event. What a sad set of circumstances though. May this precious boy grow up strong and healthy and surrounded by a loving family.