US woman charged with fetal homicide after allegedly inducing own abortion
The Guardian••nation
Key Points:
- Melinda S Spencer, a 35-year-old Kentucky woman, was arrested on charges including first-degree fetal homicide, abuse of a corpse, and tampering with evidence after allegedly inducing her own abortion and burying fetal remains in her backyard.
- Kentucky bans abortions at any time after conception but does not outlaw self-managed abortions, which medical experts generally consider safe in the first trimester using medication.
- Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, online access to abortion pills has increased, with one in four abortions by the end of 2024 involving telemedicine providers, though criminal prosecutions related to pregnancy outcomes have also risen.
- Advocacy groups warn that criminalizing pregnancy outcomes is part of a broader push for fetal personhood,
