The “living will” of pregnant women is the new trend on TikTok that strikes and causes discussion

A video-based “fight” is unleashing on TikTok between pregnant women living in America. It was initiated by some future mothers who decided to post videos with their “biotestament”: expressly addressing the doctors, in the event of serious complications during childbirth, they ask to be saved instead of the unborn child. The “video response” of those who, on the contrary, ask to give survival priority to their child in any case, if the choice is unavoidable, and criticizes those who express a different point of view, is immediate.

That of the “living will”, a sort of living will, is the new phenomenon that is generating conflicting discussions and opinions on Tik Tok. Since the Supreme Court of the United States has canceled the right to abortion at the federal level and a number of states have banned it, there is a widespread fear that in the face of a medical emergency, doctors may give priority to the life of the unborn child. Hence the “biotestaments” of mothers who, in view of childbirth, wish to express “their will”.

The “cases” of Ashley and Tuscany

Among the videos fueling the trend is that of Ashley Martinez, mother of four boys and pregnant with the daughter she’s wanted for years. She lives in Texas, where abortions are banned in all stages of pregnancy, unless there is a life-threatening medical emergency. Due in May, she released a video last month in which she begs doctors to prioritize her life, in case there are complications during labor and a choice is needed. “If there are complications during the birth, please save me,” Ashley explicitly asks on TikTok. Interviewed by CNN, Ashley explained that her fears stem from the traumatic experience she had with her last pregnancy: She had an emergency C-section because the umbilical cord came out before her baby, a rare but dangerous condition known as cord prolapse. umbilical which can deprive the baby of vital blood flow and oxygen. Martinez defined the last birth as “terrifying”.

Martinez, 29, lost her mother to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma at a young age and the thought that her children could go through a similar tragedy terrifies her. She admits that her mother, who died at 25, probably would have chosen to save her son first if she could. “My mother, she had no choice,” she said. “The message I want to send is that no one is right or wrong in this situation. In both cases it is a difficult decision.

Another video is the one posted by Tuscany Gunter, 22, originally from North Carolina, due for delivery in April. “As a mother of three young children, I can’t just take the emotional trauma of losing their mom onto them and expect them to make it through. While on the one hand I would feel crushed by the loss of my child, on the other I also need to think about the others who are alive», says Tuscany.

Doctors’ point of view on complications

It is true that there can be complications during childbirth, however, a condition as difficult as having to choose whether to save the life of a mother or that of the child is highly unlikely.

In such cases, he explained to cnn Elizabeth Langenmaternal-fetal physician at the University of Michigan Von Voigtlander Women’s Hospital, health care facilities are adequately resourced to meet the needs of both mother and child. Dr. Lagen has also clarified that specialist doctors go to great lengths to care for both equally and highlighted that when a mother’s health appears critical and she is unable to support the well-being of her unborn child, doctors usually implement specific measures to support her overall health. He added that there is seldom a circumstance in which the mother is harmed for the benefit of the child.
However, according to the specialist, it is important that patients discuss their medical concerns with healthcare professionals and share their wishes, such as “living will”, with loved ones in case of any complications during labor. However, Dr. Langen points out, this is not a situation a mother is likely to find herself in.

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