Congratulations, You’re Pregnant! Here in Georgia, We’ll Take Care of Your Baby, No Matter What. 

Dear Patient,

Congratulations on your pregnancy! Having a baby is an exciting time in your life. There are a lot of choices to make (many will be made for you!) and we are grateful that you chose Emory for your care team. You and your baby’s health are our priority. In this ever-changing legal landscape, we promise to provide you the best care legally possible. As you may know, Georgia’s LIFE Act, or fetal personhood law, has presented some challenging situations. Please help us take care of you by answering the following questions:

  1. Do you hope to have a vaginal delivery or C-section? 

  1. If you experience life-threatening uterus bleeding, but we detect fetal heart activity so we can’t intervene until the fetus dies, are you ok with receiving unlimited* blood transfusions to (hopefully) keep you alive while we wait? 

  1. Do you plan on getting an epidural during labor?

  1. If you develop sepsis which requires a dilation & curettage (also called a procedural abortion), but we detect fetal heart activity so we have to delay the procedure, would you prefer to die at home or in the hospital?

  1. Do you plan on breastfeeding?

  1. If you experience a catastrophic health event (stroke, pulmonary embolism, etc) and are declared brain dead, but we detect fetal heart activity, would you like to remain on life support until the baby can be delivered at term? **

  1. Have you chosen a pediatrician?

Thank you for choosing us for your care team. We value your autonomy. Legally speaking, however, the answer to questions 2 and 6 is “yes”. You and your baby are in good hands. We will support you, whether you want it or not, every step of the way. 

Sincerely,

Emory University Obstetrics & Gynecology Department

* Until the hospital runs out of blood

** The legal terms around this are unclear, so in the context of the LIFE Act, we will keep you and your uterus on life support until the baby can be delivered. We just need to cover our bases. You don’t have a choice about this.