2018 was certainly a year of victory for the pro-life movement. As the year draws to a close and we look back on what took place, pro-lifers across the country have cause for celebration.
Here are 2018’s top five pro-life victories:
1.) Pro-abortion senators lose their seats in the midterms.
A markedly positive outcome from the roller coaster of the 2018 midterms was the number of pro-abortion U.S. senators that lost their races. Politicians such as Senators Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) will not be returning to Congress in January, which is good news for the unborn.
2.) Ohio bans dilation and evacuation abortions.
Ohio Governor John Kasich signed into law what is being referred to as “one of the most restrictive abortion bans in the country.” Formerly Senate Bill 145, this new law bans dilation and evacuation abortions, which are a second trimester abortion procedure. Performing such a procedure is now considered a fourth-degree felony in the state of Ohio. This ban is predicted to put an end to most abortions occurring after 12 weeks of gestation.
3.) The Trump administration halts government use of aborted fetal tissue.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services ended a contract they held with an aborted tissue procurement company back in September. Since that point, all government procurement of aborted fetal tissue has been halted. Most recently, a study that managed to go under the radar and continue utilizing aborted fetal tissue was suspended.
4.) Fetal heartbeat bills continue to advance nationwide.
Iowa and Ohio both saw the passage of fetal heartbeat bills through their state legislatures. These bills make it illegal for an abortion to occur when the unborn baby in question has a detectable heartbeat. While Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed the bill into law, Ohio Governor John Kasich vetoed the bill. The Ohio State Legislature is currently considering a legislative override of Kasich’s veto.
5.) The Supreme Court rules in favor of NIFLA.
The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 against coerced speech in NIFLA v. Becerra. This ruling reversed a decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that upheld California’s Reproductive Freedom, Accountability, Comprehensive Care, and Transparency (FACT) Act. As the year continued, the favorable ruling toward pro-life organizations was used as legal precedent, most notably in Hawaii.
There are many victories that could be added to this list, but the trend is clear: 2018 was a year of winning for the United States’ pro-life movement. Here’s to achieving even more victories in 2019.
Photo credit: Aleteia Image Department via Flickr, CC BY 2.0
