ST. LOUIS (KTVI)–A bill awaiting a vote in a Missouri House committee would create a new offense of trafficking abortion-inducing devices or drugs in the state, and would ban abortions or attempted abortions on a woman carrying a pregnancy at more than 10 weeks.
It would also make it a felony to perform, induce or attempt an abortion on a woman with ectopic pregnancy.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, an ectopic pregnancy “occurs when a fertilized egg grows outside of the uterus. Almost all ectopic pregnancies—more than 90%—occur in a fallopian tube. As the pregnancy grows, it can cause the tube to burst (rupture). A rupture can cause major internal bleeding. This can be a life-threatening emergency that needs immediate surgery.”
House Bill 2810, sponsored by Taney County area State Rep. Brian Seitz, had a public hearing in the House Special Committee on Government Oversight this week. Lawmakers are on their spring recess next week, with the bill due back in committee March 22.
In committee testimony, Planned Parenthood said the bill could have “chilling effect” on manufacturers of products and medications used in both abortion procedures and labor and delivery. “The use of these medications help make certain procedures safer and more comfortable for patients. This bill could make it impossible for Missourians to access these medications for any reason,” the organization said in testimony. “Criminalizing the import, export, distribution, delivery, and production of these medical
tools and medicines could open manufacturers up to investigations and penalties, which could create
a chilling effect on manufacturers and distributors.”
The Missouri State Medical Association also called for the language related to ectopic pregnancy to be removed from the bill.
State Senator Caleb Rowden, the Republican Senate Majority Leader, said on Twitter that the bill was “DOA” in that chamber if it makes it out of the House. “Not all “pro-life” bills are actually pro-life,” he said.
