When Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, every pro-abortion woman began imagining the horrible scenarios that could play out across the country. Then, they started (unsurprisingly) coming true. Perhaps one of the more horrifying cases was the story of Adriana Smith, who was forced to give birth to her son while she was brain dead. And now, Smith’s mother, April Newkirk, is asking for prayers for her young grandson as he continues to fight for his life, per People.
According to research conducted by Population Reference Bureau, a sharp rise in infant deaths, sepsis, and pregnancy-associated deaths has taken place since the ban went into place. The figures are staggering: states with abortion bans in place saw 22,000 additional births, 478 excess infant deaths, and 59 excess pregnancy-associated deaths.
But the generalized statistics are just part of the grim repercussions of an act like this. There are a lot of fringe and individual stories women have faced thanks to these regulations.
Smith, who was already the mother to a 7-year-old boy, was about eight weeks pregnant at the time she was declared brain dead from multiple blood clots in her brain. She was forced to be kept alive on life support because of Georgia’s ban on abortion after six weeks of gestation, despite the family’s wishes to end life support. She gave birth to 1-pound baby Chance on June 13, 2025, via emergency Cesarean section.
It’s been six months since he was born, and Newkirk updated followers on her GoFundMe account, saying he is still only 11 pounds and will not be coming home any time soon because he has underdeveloped lungs.
“He’s going to be moved to a different hospital for more help with his health and I want everyone to know that [I’m] very grateful for you[r] pray[er]s and help,” she wrote. “Continue to pray because God has the final say so.”
So many factors contributed to this tragic story. Aside from the infringement on all women’s rights, it highlights another terrifying statistic in our country: Black women’s maternal mortality rates. In the US in 2023, 50.3 deaths per 100,000 live births occurred for Black women compared to 14.5 for white women. Research has indicated that structural racism in the medical industry drives these disparities that often derive from external factors such as education and income.
What’s worse is that some of these problems could be resolved with affordable health care that protected and served all women.
