This unfortunate proposition is not only a huge blow to women’s rights, but is extremely over-broad and can only hinder progress in reproductive technology.
If the proposition passes, as soon as an egg is fertilized it will be considered “person.” This means that women will no longer be able to get IUDs or the morning after pill because these forms of contraception will be considered murder. Infertile or older women are also affected—they may no longer be able to access forms of assisted reproductive technology, like in vitro fertilization, because any leftover genetic material can never be discarded without doctors becoming murderers as well. Embryos that do not implant in a woman’s uterus will be considered deaths at the doctors’ hands.
This proposition is not just an attack on abortion, but it signals a full-on war on a woman’s ability to make decisions about her reproductive life. Both women who are trying to avoid or terminate a pregnancy, and women who are desperately seeking a pregnancy will face yet another obstacle.
