A new bill under review in Missouri seeks to make abortion illegal after 10 weeks even for ectopic pregnancies, according to Insider.
State Rep. Brian Seitz (R) proposed House Bill No. 2810, which would make the production, sale, purchase, or use of medical devices or drugs used for abortions a class B 11 felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
Performing or even assisting with the abortion of an ectopic pregnancy is considered a class A felony, which carries a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. Even treating ectopic pregnancies in trafficking victims is criminalized in the bill.
An ectopic pregnancy occurs when the embryo implants outside of the uterus, usually in the fallopian tubes. According to the Mayo Clinic, an ectopic pregnancy “can’t proceed normally” and require immediate termination to prevent rupture of the body part where the embryo is implanted.
If left untreated, the pregnancies “can cause your fallopian tube to burst open,” according to the Mayo Clinic. “Without treatment, the ruptured tube can lead to life-threatening bleeding.”
Dr. Colleen McNicholas, Chief Medical Officer for Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri slammed the new bill in a statement to Newsweek: “This is what it looks like when uneducated politicians try and legislate our bodies. Ectopic pregnancies, if not treated promptly, become life-threatening. Banning any provision of care related to ectopic pregnancies will put people’s lives at risk.”
Ironically, Seitz told the Missouri legislative panel on Wednesday that he introduced the restrictive bill to “protect women and the unborn” after the FDA ruled in December that women can order abortion pills through the mail.
