Doctors in the U.S. hope brain-dead woman will give birth

According to her family, a brain-dead, pregnant, American woman on life life-support, has reached the stage of pregnancy where her baby could survive outside the womb.

Her doctors hope Susan Torres will live long enough for her baby to survive

In May 26 year old Susan Torres, 26, lost consciousness after an undiagnosed brain tumor caused a stroke.

Susan was pregnant and her husband Jason asked doctors to keep her on life-support so their unborn child would have a chance to develop.

The foetus recently passed the 24th week of conception, the point at which doctors say it could survive.

Justin Torres, Susan's brother-in-law, says at present the situation is fairly stable.

After a web site was set up to raise money for medical bills, more than $400,000 in donations has poured in from around the world .

Jason Torres has quit his job to be by his wife's side, and the family pays thousands each week in medical costs not covered by insurance.

Mr Torres has spent every night sleeping in a reclining chair by his wife's bed at the hospital, and though the hospital is not prepared to discuss the case, it is thought that doctors would like to wait until 32 weeks of gestation before delivering the baby.

The full term for a normal pregnancy is 40 weeks.

According to research by the University of Connecticut Health Center, there have been at least a dozen similar cases published in English-language medical literature, since 1979.