Fact Check: Women no longer face police investigations after miscarriages under new abortion law.

Fact Check: "Women no longer face police investigations after miscarriages under new abortion law."

What We Know

The claim that "women no longer face police investigations after miscarriages under new abortion law" is misleading. While some states have enacted laws that limit investigations into pregnancy loss, the situation varies significantly across the United States. For instance, a report by the Human Rights and Gender Justice Clinic highlights that many states continue to misuse laws to surveil and investigate individuals based on pregnancy outcomes, including miscarriages (source-1).

In California, a law passed in 2022 prohibits the investigation and prosecution of pregnancy loss, but this is not universally applicable across all states. Prior to this law, there were instances where women faced legal repercussions for miscarriages (source-7). Furthermore, reports indicate that in some jurisdictions, women are still at risk of being investigated for miscarriages, as evidenced by a West Virginia prosecutor's warning that women could face legal trouble following a miscarriage (source-3).

Analysis

The assertion that women are no longer at risk of police investigations after miscarriages is overly simplistic and does not reflect the complex legal landscape surrounding reproductive rights in the U.S. The Human Rights and Gender Justice Clinic's report emphasizes that, despite some legislative progress, many states still engage in the criminalization of pregnancy outcomes, which can include investigations into miscarriages (source-2).

Additionally, while some reports suggest that specific states have enacted protective measures, the overall trend indicates that women may still be subjected to scrutiny and investigation based on their pregnancy outcomes. For example, a recent article discusses how investigations into miscarriages have occurred in various states, including cases where women faced severe legal consequences for stillbirths or miscarriages (source-6).

The reliability of sources discussing these issues varies. Reports from established organizations like the Human Rights and Gender Justice Clinic provide a comprehensive overview of the situation, while news articles may focus on specific cases or incidents, which can lead to a more fragmented understanding of the issue.

Conclusion

Verdict: False
The claim that "women no longer face police investigations after miscarriages under new abortion law" is false because it oversimplifies the current legal landscape regarding reproductive rights in the U.S. While some states have made strides in protecting women from investigations related to miscarriages, many others continue to enforce laws that allow for such investigations. Therefore, the assertion does not accurately reflect the reality faced by women across the country.

Sources

1. PDF Microsoft Word - 2023_Clinic_HRJG_REPORT-U.S. Criminalization of ...
2. HRGJ Report: U.S. Criminalization of Abortion and ... - CUNY School of Law
3. A West Virginia prosecutor is warning women that a miscarriage could ...
4. UK votes to decriminalise abortion after prosecutions of ...
5. Women are finally no longer at risk of being prosecuted when it ... - MSN
6. How Abortion Prosecutions Are Shifting Post-Roe - The Marshall Project
7. Miscarriages Illegal? These States Investigated Them as ...
8. Fifth Amendment Rights as Abortion Rights - Harvard Law Review