Article Summary –
Tammy Ruiz Ziegler, an experienced nurse and devout Catholic, has worked extensively in perinatal loss and palliative care, advocating for the option of carrying a pregnancy to term after a fatal fetal diagnosis despite its previous lack of acceptance. Her views shifted in 2006 when she realized the complexity of individual circumstances and began to support whatever choices parents make regarding their pregnancies, emphasizing the unpredictability of outcomes and the importance of personal autonomy. Ziegler identifies as “pro-trust,” advocating for the idea that women and their doctors should be trusted to make the best decisions for themselves, and she believes that all forms of life are equally precious, challenging some pro-life views within her faith community.
A devout Catholic, Tammy Ruiz Ziegler dedicated 39 years as a registered and bereavement nurse, specializing in perinatal loss. She’s also trained as a hospital chaplain and was among the first in perinatal hospice and palliative care, assisting patients who choose to carry pregnancies to term despite diagnoses that the fetus will not survive long.
Ziegler noted that terminating pregnancies was the only intervention for women whose babies had fatal diagnoses. While some accepted this, others did not.
“It’s strange to teach about this care when culture may revoke the option that was once the only choice,” Ziegler said via email. She believes perinatal palliative care should not be enforced.
Those opposing abortion fear babies with fatal prenatal diagnoses might be undertreated because their births are viewed through an “abortion” lens, according to Ziegler.
“Misconceptions exist in both ideological camps,” Ziegler remarked. “Advocates of this care claim no risks, yet sick babies do face higher rates of complications, necessitating expert obstetric care, possibly preterm deliveries. Critics argue that these babies suffer and that it’s cruelty by parents and providers. Palliative care ensures comfort and expert providers secure the baby’s wellbeing.”
Ziegler wishes more community hospitals offered perinatal palliative care. Currently, around 370 hospitals, hospices, and organizations globally provide this specialized care.
For years, Ziegler believed it was ethically right for women to carry pregnancies to term, even if the baby might not survive.
Her perspective shifted in 2006 after a patient, whose fetus wouldn’t survive a full-term pregnancy, opted to deliver at 24 weeks. Ziegler considered this early induction akin to abortion, thinking it should occur two weeks later.
When the woman proceeded with the 24-week induction, her husband passed away two weeks after delivery. “If she had asked, I would’ve suggested waiting two weeks, resulting in her losing both her baby and husband nearly the same day,” Ziegler shared in an interview.
“I realized it’s not my place to decide for others. I’ll support people’s decisions as I don’t foresee outcomes to aid them,” she stated, marking the end of her belief that her prior stance was universally best.
Ziegler’s own experiences shaped her views. In 1992, she suffered a miscarriage at 9 weeks, experiencing severe bleeding.
“Thinking back, it was frightening and sorrowful enough—being denied care would have been much worse,” Ziegler commented.
After working closely with physicians treating pregnancy loss, Ziegler identifies as “pro-trust,” trusting women and doctors to make right decisions.
Some fellow Christians perceive her views as “a little volatile.”
“True Christianity values all life forms as precious, not just infants. Some Christians, who are vocally pro-life, seem to prioritize some lives over others, a notion I don’t subscribe to,” she said.
—
Read More Pennsylvania News
