SPL is shaping national conversations
Hey all –
In the last couple weeks the story of Adriana Smith went viral. Smith was 9 weeks pregnant when declared brain dead. She’s been on life support the last several months as doctors hope to get her son to 32 weeks and a live delivery.
Media blames GA heartbeat law
Initial media coverage claimed Georgia’s heartbeat law required doctors to keep Smith on life support against her family’s wishes.
SPL identifies Georgia advance directive (AD) law
Did you know SPL has a research team? This is a group of volunteers who have demonstrated advance understanding of technical information and a clear preference for truth over partisanship. I’m very fond of this team.
When Adriana Smith’s story emerged, our research team suggested the Georgia advance directive law (GA Code § 31-32-9) was probably relevant. They also pointed me to an overview of similar state laws, a systematic review of live births after moms were declared brain dead, and a specific case of a live birth after the mother was declared brain dead at 9 weeks. Later they helped me understand a previous case (when abortion was still legal in Georgia) in which the court ordered maintenance of life support for a brain dead pregnant woman.
SPL was able to create timely, responsive content as the Smith story was going viral:
- May 15: posts on X, FB, and Instagram directly
- May 16: a blog article and Substack post; also Tiktok, Instagram reel, FB video, and YouTube short
- May 20: posts (X, FB) and videos (TikTok, IG, YT) about Smith’s mother hoping her grandson makes it
- May 21: videos (TikTok, IG, YT) about odds of infant survival
- May 22: a full livestream discussion of these details and more
Other outlets pick up on AD law
Soon SPL’s work got direct coverage with groups like Live Action (May 16) and Christian Post (May 17). On May 19 larger conservative outlets such as Fox News started mentioning the advance directive law.
Abortion activists acknowledge AD laws
Eventually, like the final domino to fall, even abortion advocates started acknowledging there may be more to this story besides the Georgia heartbeat law:
- May 20 – Dr. Jen Lincoln
- May 21 – Imani Gandi
- May 22 – Jessica Valenti
Slow but steady
The media regularly distorts stories about abortion, and pushing back can feel like screaming into a hurricane. But cases like these—where we’re able to see the narrative change in real time—keep us moving. Checking sources matters. Speaking up matters.
Thanks to everyone who backs SPL—whether through volunteer hours or donations. Your impact is real. We literally couldn’t do it without you.
Monica
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