Australia: A pregnant Jehovah's Witness and her baby have died after she refused a blood transfusion because of her religious beliefs.
The 28-year-old was suffering from leukemia but died after turning down treatment against the recommendations of doctors.
The mum-to-be was diagnosed with the condition seven months into her pregnancy and medics said she could give birth by cesarean section before undergoing chemotherapy.
But she turned down the procedures as they would both have required blood transfusions - which were against her religious beliefs.
The woman, from Sydney, died at the Prince of Wales Hospital in the city.
Doctors revealed the case in the Royal Australasian College of Physicians’ Internal Medicine Journal and said the woman was fully aware she and her unborn baby could die without treatment.
They wrote: "Not administering blood products in this case undoubtedly contributed to the death of mother and foetus.
"This was because maternal autonomy was respected – which reflects broad legal and ethical consensus that competent adults may refuse any form of medical intervention –even where that intervention is lifesaving.
"Refusal of a lifesaving intervention by an informed patient is generally well respected, but the rights of a mother to refuse such interventions on behalf of her foetus is more controversial.
"A doctor indeed has moral obligations to both the pregnant woman, and perhaps with differing priority to the unborn foetus."
The woman - who has not be named - died 13 days after her diagnosis after suffering a stroke and multiple organ failure in 2009.
Jehovah's Witnesses commonly refuse blood transfusions as they believe the Bible forbids them from ingesting blood.