In a recent development, Republicans in Iowa's House of Representatives have passed a bill that would make the death of an "unborn person" a criminal offense. The move has sparked concerns among Democrats about how it may impact in vitro fertilization (IVF), following a controversial ruling in Alabama that recognized frozen embryos as children.

Currently, Iowa's law specifies penalties for the termination or serious injury to a "human pregnancy." However, the proposed bill aims to amend the language to include the "causing of death of, or serious injury to, an unborn person," defined as an individual organism from fertilization to live birth.

The bill is part of a larger trend observed in various state Legislatures across the country that seek to expand legal and constitutional protections for embryos and fetuses, a goal long pursued by the anti-abortion movement. However, for the bill to become law, it must still pass the state Senate and be signed by Governor Kim Reynolds.

Reflecting on the controversial Alabama case, a Democrat in Iowa's House initially proposed an amendment to safeguard IVF, a procedure that assists women in getting pregnant. However, the amendment was later withdrawn. Democrat Representative Beth Wessel-Kroeschell expressed concern that "this bill... puts IVF at risk," emphasizing the potential harm to those seeking and providing reproductive health care.

The decision by Alabama's Supreme Court to equate an embryo with a child or gestating fetus under the state's wrongful death law caused three major IVF providers in Alabama to suspend services due to liability concerns. Iowa Republican Representative Skyler Wheeler argued that the Alabama case is specific to that state's laws and courts, asserting that elected officials have already taken steps to protect IVF providers from liability relating to embryo destruction or damage.

However, Wessel-Kroeschell highlighted the ambiguity surrounding IVF protections in Iowa's law, expressing uncertainty over how the new language may be interpreted by Iowa or federal courts. She argued that the bill reinforces the "myth of fetal personhood" within the state code.

In a related development, House Republicans withdrew another bill requiring fathers to pay child support from the moment of fertilization. This move came after Democrats raised concerns about potential implications, including court orders for risky paternity testing of a fetus.

The approval of the bill in Iowa's House of Representatives has initiated a heated debate over the protection of unborn persons and the implications for reproductive health care, particularly in the context of IVF. As the bill progresses to the state Senate, its fate remains uncertain and subject to further discussions, amendments, and potential legal interpretations.