Woman brain-dead for months gives birth to healthy baby boy

A Portuguese woman, who had been brain-dead for almost four months, gave birth to a healthy baby boy.

The boy was delivered in a Lisbon hospital by Caesarean section after 32 weeks, and weighed 2.35kg.

His mother was declared brain-dead on 20 February after a brain haemorrhage.

When tests revealed the foetus to be healthy, it was decided to continue with the pregnancy, after the father agreed it should be allowed to continue.

Doctors said the baby was in good health when he was born on Tuesday. They did not specify whether the boy's mother remained on life support.

It is the longest a child has survived in the womb in Portugal after his mother was declared brain-dead.

In January, a baby boy was born in Wroclaw, Poland, after surviving for 55 days in the womb of his mother, who was declared brain-dead after a tumour.

He weighed only 1kg at birth, and was allowed home in April.