Statement Of Position

Under no circumstances should it be legal to intentionally take the life of an innocent human being. Given the proven biological reality that a new and unique human being is created at the moment of fertilization, that new human being is entitled to the same right-to-life as every other human being. This right is to be protected in law with no exceptions, in all circumstances, and at every stage of development.

With modern medicine, the possibility that continuing a pregnancy to term might cause the woman’s death is extraordinarily unlikely and, in fact, many physicians contend that there is no situation in which this possibility exists. However, if a situation arises in which it is medically determined that a woman’s pregnancy poses an immediate and potentially fatal threat to her physical life, her physician should be allowed to perform any and all medical procedures that are necessary to save her. But in that process, the physician must also do everything possible to save the life of her unborn baby. If as an unintended consequence of a legitimate effort to save both lives, either or both fail to survive, that would be an unavoidable and thus legally permissible outcome.