Pregnancy as Probable Cause: Policing Pregnant Bodies
Public narratives about pregnancy and abortion often prioritize a limited image: white, married, middle-class, heterosexual, and cisgender.
Public narratives about pregnancy and abortion prioritize a limited image: white, married, middle-class, heterosexual and cisgender.
This past summer, two federal actions sent a similar menacing message. The National Guard was deployed to remove unhoused people under the guise of "public safety" in Washington, D.C. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced it will end abortion care for survivors of rape and incest, a rollback erasing even the exceptions anti-abortion lawmakers once used to claim moderation.
In both cases, the targets are punished for living outside accepted norms, and once erased from public view, their rights are stripped away entirely. Especially in the South, pregnancy is increasingly treated as probable cause, leading to surveillance, denial of care, or incarceration for people in various stages of pregnancy or pregnancy loss. Even providers can face professional penalties.
- Surveillance of people in various stages of pregnancy or pregnancy loss
- Denial of care
- Incarceration
- Professional penalties for providers
Criminalization doesn't only mean investigation or jail time.
Author's summary: Pregnancy is increasingly policed in the South, with severe consequences.
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