A woman who refused a Caesarean section despite doctors' warnings has given birth to an apparently healthy baby. But the child's guardian warned it is too soon to say whether the infant escaped injury.
The boy, born Wednesday, weighed 4 pounds, 12 ounces - underweight for a normal child - but was in good condition, said Northwestern Memorial Hospital administrator James Henri.The baby's mother, known as Mother Doe in court papers and identified Wednesday as Tabita Bricci, successfully fought all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court against county officials who tried to force her to undergo a C-section.
Doctors at Chicago's St. Joseph Hospital had warned Bricci that her fetus was not getting enough oxygen and would probably be brain-damaged or born dead if she did not have the operation. But Bricci, a 20-year-old Christian fundamentalist, said she had faith that God would deliver her a healthy baby.
"All the reports that we have is that the baby is in good condition," said Colleen Connell, a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union in Illinois who represented Bricci.
Connell said the apparently healthy delivery "underscores the importance of allowing individuals to make medical decisions."