States Battle Over Stillborn Babies

Parents of stillborn babies are pitted against pro-choice advocates in an emotional battle over initiatives in seven states to issue birth certificates for their children, reports the Chronicle. Parents want recognition of their loss; abortion advocates want to avoid a precedent that might be used to claim an unborn fetus is already a child.

A California bill that would issue a "certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth" faces stiff opposition, though similar legislation already has passed in 18 states. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson vetoed a similar bill last week. A pending bill in New York uses the words "naturally occurring intrauterine death" so it does not apply to abortion.

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