Jehovah’s Witness and her baby die after she refuses a blood transfusion at seven months pregnant… for a cancer she had an 80% chance of surviving with treatment

   A heavily pregnant Jehovah's Witness woman and her baby have died after she refused a blood transfusion that would have likely saved both of their lives.Read more afrer cut


    The 28-year-old was diagnosed with leukemia seven months into her pregnancy, but chemotherapy was deemed to be too unsafe unless she received 'blood product support'.

    The woman declined the treatment due to her religious beliefs and her baby died in utero, with the 28-year-old subsequently dying after suffering a stroke and multi-organ failure.
Some of the hospital staff were 'distressed' over what were perceived to be two avoidable deaths, as 83 percent of pregnant leukemia sufferers go into remission with treatment.


  A heavily pregnant Jehovah's Witness woman and her baby have died after she refused a blood transfusion that would have likely saved both of their lives.

   The 28-year-old was diagnosed with leukemia seven months into her pregnancy, but chemotherapy was deemed to be too unsafe unless she received 'blood product support'.

   The woman declined the treatment due to her religious beliefs and her baby died in utero, with the 28-year-old subsequently dying after suffering a stroke and multi-organ failure.
Some of the hospital staff were 'distressed' over what were perceived to be two avoidable deaths, as 83 percent of pregnant leukemia sufferers go into remission with treatment.


'Not administering blood products in this case undoubtedly contributed to the death of mother and foetus,' haematologists Amber Biscoe and Giselle Kidson-Gerber wrote in a recent medical journal article about the 2009 case.

'Refusal of a lifesaving intervention by an informed patient is generally well respected, but the rights of a mother to refuse such interventions on behalf of her foetus is more controversial.'

Sascha Callaghan, an expert in ethics and law at the University of Sydney said the current law allows the mother to make decisions that would directly affect her unborn baby, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
She said Jehovah's Witnesses are often condemned for their beliefs, especially in relation to their stance against blood transfusions.
'This woman has a long-held commitment to the Jehovah's Witness faith and that's how she chose to die,' she told the Herald.
'When your foetus is in utero, it is inextricably tied to your life.'