Wife's clinical death during childbirth leaves Nizhny Novgorod man a single father
The wife of Urensky District resident Ivan Smirnov, left bedridden after clinical death during childbirth, has been transferred to Moscow. Ivan, who suddenly became a single father, told an NN.RU correspondent about whether there are any improvements in Ksenia«s condition and how the tragedy has affected the family»s life.
Ksenia was admitted to the Uren Central District Hospital with her second pregnancy in late November 2025: she underwent a cesarean section, but something went wrong during the operation and the woman suffered clinical death under anesthesia. During that time, her brain was damaged from lack of oxygen, and she was diagnosed with post-hypoxic encephalopathy.
After the operation, Ksenia has been in a vegetative state. Doctors still do not give any prognosis that they will be able to overcome the illness. Ivan is told that his beloved wife may spend the rest of her life in this condition.
In an interview with NN.RU, the man said that recently his wife was transferred from Nizhny Novgorod Region to the Federal Scientific and Clinical Center for Resuscitation and Rehabilitation in Moscow. However, even there they do not give any prognosis for recovery, and unfortunately, there are no changes in her condition.
«The doctors there also don»t give any prognosis, they say her neurological condition is severe. They«ll keep her there until around mid-February, and then I don»t know what. I need to talk to someone,« Ivan laments.
The Nizhny Novgorod resident says that now, together with his loved ones, he is just trying to come to terms with the new reality and adapt to it as much as possible. He sent the newborn to relatives in another district for the time being, and the eldest son stayed with Ivan.
«I»m getting used to living without her, but so far it«s not going very well. The eldest is with me, and we sent the little one to my elderly parents for the winter, they manage, but it»s hard for them. The eldest, who is only 5, periodically asks about his mother and cries. The child is clothed, shod, and fed, but he lost his mother. And I myself live as if in a dream, a nightmare.«
After the publication of the NN.RU material, investigators opened a criminal case regarding the improper performance of duties by the medical staff of the «Northern MMC». The prosecutor«s office of the Urensky District also joined the investigation.
Read more about this terrifying story in our previous material.
