Texas hospital ends life support for brain-dead pregnant woman

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Texas hospital ends life support for brain-dead pregnant woman

By Jana J. Pruet FORT WORTH, Texas (Reuters) - A Texas hospital removed a pregnant brain-dead woman from life support on Sunday in line with a court order obtained by her husband who argued the fetus she was carrying was withering inside her lifeless body, the family's lawyers said. Marlise Munoz, who was about 22 weeks pregnant, had been on life support in the hospital in Fort Worth since November 26 after suffering what her husband believes was a pulmonary embolism. Erick Munoz had sought to remove his wife from life support, with the support of her parents, but the hospital had refused, citing a Texas law that says life-sustaining treatment cannot be withdrawn or withheld from a pregnant woman despite a "do not resuscitate" order or a request from the family. A judge on Friday agreed with Erick Munoz in finding that Marlise Munoz was already legally dead and ordering the John Peter Smith Hospital to remove her ventilator, setting a Monday deadline.

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