These bills—in Indiana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and South Carolina—could also imperil IVF practices and threaten care for women with pregnancy complications.
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SincethefallofRoev.Wade,billsaimingtocriminalizeabortionprovidershaveproliferated.Butit’srelativelyraretoseelawmakersproposecriminalizingwomenwhoobtainabortions—well,itwasrare,atleast.InJanuary,lawmakersinatleastfourstatesintroducedproposalstomakeintentionallyharmingafertilizedeggorfetuspunishableunderhomicidestatutes,withnoexceptionsforwomenwhogetabortionsunlesstheywereforcedorcoercedintoendingtheirpregnancies.
Thesemeasureswouldleavepregnantwomenwhoseekabortionssubjecttocriminalchargessuchasmurder,manslaughter,attemptedmurder,andattemptedmanslaughterandopentowrongfuldeathlawsuitsbroughtbypartnersorfamilymembers.
Theycouldalsoseriouslyimperilcareforwomenexperiencingpregnancycomplicationsandhavemajorimplicationsforinvitrofertilizationpractices.
Indiana: HouseBill1334wasintroducedbystateRep.LorissaSweet(R–Indianapolis)onJanuary13.