In a recent development, Iowa's state House of Representatives has passed a bill that could impose severe penalties for the death of "unborn" children. However, this measure has sparked concerns among Democrats who fear it could have unintended consequences for in-vitro fertilization (IVF) in the state, echoing the controversy that unfolded in Alabama following a landmark court decision.

The Iowa Democrats have raised concerns about the bill, arguing that its definition of an "unborn person" starting from fertilization could potentially jeopardize the availability of IVF care. Just like in Alabama, where a court ruling deemed embryos legally human, certain clinics suspended IVF treatments due to concerns of discarding or damaging embryos during the IVF process.

Representative Wessel-Kroeschell expressed worries that the inclusion of the "unborn person" language in the bill could cause similar chaos for IVF in Iowa as seen in Alabama. Meanwhile, Representative Jennifer Konfrst criticized state Republicans, accusing them of being willing to criminalize individuals undergoing IVF treatments in their relentless pursuit to ban abortion.

The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee also voiced their opposition to the bill's passing. Heather Williams, the committee's president, emphasized that this vote demonstrated that the consequences of Alabama's court decision were not confined to a single state but had wider implications.

In response to the mounting bipartisan criticism of Alabama's Supreme Court decision to consider frozen unborn embryos as children, Alabama's Republican Governor, Kay Ivey, took action by signing a bill into law that safeguards IVF providers. This new law shields providers from criminal prosecution and lawsuits in cases of embryo death during IVF. Consequently, several clinics in Alabama have resumed IVF treatments.

It is worth noting that following the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022, numerous GOP-led states swiftly implemented abortion bans or heavy restrictions. Concerns were raised in some quarters that these bans might inadvertently affect fertility treatments, particularly IVF clinics, which often deal with surplus embryos. In Iowa, a judge blocked a six-week abortion ban last July, restoring the state's ban at 22 weeks. This has placed Iowa as an outlier among neighboring Midwestern states, as Missouri and South Dakota have strict abortion bans, Nebraska prohibits it at 12 weeks, while Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin still allow it.

The approval of the bill in Iowa's state House of Representatives has now sparked further debate regarding the protection of IVF treatments and the potential consequences of defining "unborn person" in legislation. As the controversy surrounding reproductive rights continues, the future of IVF care in Iowa remains uncertain.