Nutrition during Ten-Week Life Support with Successful Fetal Outcome in a Case with Fatal Maternal Brain Damage

A 31-year-old woman had fatal intracerebral bleeding at the beginning of the 21st week of gestation. After several days, there was evidence that the brain was dead. Combined enteral and parenteral nutrition was continued until the 32nd week of gestation when cesarean section was performed because of drug-resistant hypotension. A full-term normal 1600-g male was delivered and the later development of the child was normal. This case report demonstrates the possibility of providing nutritional requirements to the fetus even if the mother has had a fatal injury. (Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition 13:432-435, 1989)