A “crazy” new anti-abortion bill in Ohio could force doctors to attempt the medically “impossible” task of reimplanting an ectopic pregnancy – or face murder charges.
The bill, brought forward by a group of conservative lawmakers in the US state, would outlaw abortion in all circumstances other than to save a pregnant woman’s life.
But professionals have pointed out that the bill demands that doctors dealing with an ectopic pregnancy should attempt to reimplant the foetus – something the NHS recognises can’t be done.
The legislation, introduced last Thursday, declares that a fertilised egg is a person, and could subject doctors who terminate pregnancies to potential murder charges.
Of the demand for ectopic pregnancies to be moved, Ohio obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr David Hackney wrote on Twitter: “I don’t believe I’m typing this again but, that’s impossible. We’ll all be going to jail.”
He added: “Appreciate all the support we’re receiving on ectopic re-implantation, though we also need to keep the big picture in focus. [...]
“The bill itself is 700+ pages & outlaws all abortion w/ murder charges. Ectopics are the crazy cherry atop a nightmare sundae.”
The bill states: “Takes all possible steps to preserve the life of the unborn child, while preserving the life of the woman. Such steps include, if applicable, attempting to re-implant an ectopic pregnancy into the woman’s uterus.”
An ectopic pregnancy is when a fertilised egg implants itself outside of the womb, usually in one of the fallopian tubes.
According to the NHS: “Unfortunately, it’s not possible to save the pregnancy. It usually has to be removed using medicine or an operation.”
In the UK, around 1 in every 90 pregnancies is ectopic. This is around 11,000 pregnancies a year.
Newsweek points out: “There has never been a documented medical procedure in which an ectopic foetus has been removed and re-transplanted.
“Rather than surgical intervention, many anti-abortion campaigners have supported ‘watchful waiting’ in which the woman’s doctor monitors their condition until the ectopic pregnancy miscarries. That can result in significant health risks.”
Candice Keller, a Republican from Middletown, said in a statement: “The time for regulating evil and compromise is over.
“The time has come to abolish abortion in its entirety and recognise that each individual has the inviolable and inalienable right to life.”
The bill makes an exception for the life of the pregnant woman, saying a doctor would escape prosecution for performing “a surgery, before the unborn child is viable, for the sole purpose of treating the pregnant woman’s fatal condition”.
Ohio is among states that have passed restrictive abortion laws in recent years in hopes of sparking a legal challenge that would overturn the landmark legal precedent of the 1973 Roe v Wade case, which legalised abortion.
Abortion opponents have been emboldened by the new conservative majority on the US Supreme Court.
“This has been the goal of the grassroots of the pro-life movement since the disastrous Roe decision of 1973,” stated Margie Christie, president of the Right to Life Action Coalition of Ohio.
But Ohio Right to Life, the state’s oldest and largest anti-abortion group, was not involved in the latest effort.
Women’s rights groups lined up to blast the bill, calling it medically dangerous and insulting to women.
“This is yet another attack on the sacred physician-patient relationship and on reproductive health care,” Lauren Blauvelt-Copelin, of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio, said in a statement.
“This extreme bill goes to outlandish levels to further restrict Ohioans’ decisions around health care and parenting.”