Ohio Republicans Propose Bill to Ban Abortion, IVF, and Some Contraceptives
Ohio Republican lawmakers are preparing to introduce a new bill that would ban abortion entirely, criminalize in vitro fertilization (IVF), and outlaw certain forms of contraception, such as IUDs.
The legislation would override the constitutional amendment passed by voters in 2023 that protects access to abortion, miscarriage care, fertility treatments, and contraception. That amendment passed with the support of 57% of Ohio voters.
This proposed law is being championed by anti-abortion activist Austin Beigel of End Abortion Ohio. He is working closely with two freshman Republican state representatives—Levi Dean, a plumber from Xenia, and Jonathan Newman, a pastor from Troy.
According to Beigel, the bill would define life at conception and grant full legal personhood to embryos. Under this law, anyone who has an abortion could face homicide charges. The only exceptions would be for spontaneous miscarriages or immediate life-threatening emergencies.
Beigel acknowledges that the bill directly contradicts the will of Ohio voters. “It goes against the majority opinion of the people of Ohio,” he said, comparing abortion rights to past injustices like slavery.
Legal experts have repeatedly warned that using the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause to ban abortion is a dubious legal strategy. Nevertheless, Beigel and the bill’s supporters argue that constitutional protections should apply from the moment of conception.
For many Ohioans, this legislation is deeply personal and terrifying. Beth Long and her husband Kyle had long struggled with infertility before finally getting pregnant through IVF.
But their joy was short-lived. Their baby, Star, was diagnosed with a fatal birth defect, and doctors warned that continuing the pregnancy could endanger Beth’s life. After weeks of searching for affordable care and with Ohio insurance not covering the procedure, Beth and Kyle drove to Pennsylvania for an abortion in 2023.
“The abortion was a mercy to her,” Beth said tearfully. “She never felt pain because we were able to access that care. I was able to live because I had access to that care.”
Beth was later able to conceive again via IVF and gave birth to her son Felix in 2024. She believes that without abortion access, she might not have survived, and Felix would not be here.
“This bill is devastating,” she said. “It makes me feel the same fear I felt in 2023. People deserve the freedom to make their own medical decisions without interference from politicians.”
The proposed legislation, which has not yet been assigned a bill number, is expected to be introduced in the coming months. With Republicans holding a majority in the Ohio Legislature, the outcome remains uncertain, but the political and personal stakes could not be higher.
