Republicans in Iowa's House of Representatives have passed a bill that seeks to criminalize the death of an 'unborn person,' sparking concerns from Democrats regarding its potential impact on in vitro fertilization procedures. The current law in Iowa addresses penalties for the termination or serious injury to a 'human pregnancy.' However, the newly proposed bill aims to amend the language to include the 'causing of death of, or serious injury to, an unborn person,' defined as an 'individual organism from fertilization to live birth.'
This bill is part of a broader trend seen in state Legislatures across the country, where efforts are being made to expand legal protections for embryos and fetuses, aligning with the goals of the anti-abortion movement. For the bill to become law, it still needs to pass the state Senate and receive the signature of Gov. Kim Reynolds.
