Mississippi voters reject anti-abortion measure

Voters in Mississippi have rejected a proposed amendment to the state constitution that would have defined life as starting at conception, outlawing abortion in the state and complicating a number of infertility procedures.

The contentious amendment was rejected by 58 per cent of voters, though official results have yet to be released.

The result was a surprise, since many in Mississippi -- one cheap jerseys free shipping of the most conservative states in the South -- had predicted the measure would pass.

If the proposal had been approved, Mississippi would have become the first state to effectively ban abortion under all circumstances.

The measure, contained in Initiative 26, would have declared that cheap football jerseys the moment an egg is fertilized, it becomes a person with full legal rights.

The word "abortion" didn't actually appear on the ballot, but voters were asked to decide whether to redefine the term "person" in the state's constitution to include "every human being from the moment of fertilization, cloning or the equivalent thereof."

Not only would the change have made abortion illegal, it could also have meant a ban on the morning-after contraceptive pill and the IUD, since both work by preventing fertilized eggs from implanting into the uterus.

It would also have made it illegal to dispose of unused fertilized eggs from in cheap baseball jerseys vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments, and to perform "reduction procedures" on often-dangerous multiple pregnancies.

The proposal divided the state with many medical groups and even some religious groups coming out strongly against it because of concerns it raised about women's health. Even Gov. Haley Barbour, who insisted he was still pro-life, began to express concerns over the initiative.

The initiative could have caused problems for women needing intervention for NHL Jerseys Cheap life-threatening ectopic pregnancies. There were also concerns that performing an unsuccessful IVF procedure could have resulted in criminal charges.

Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, said she was pleased with the outcome.

"The message from Mississippi is clear," Keenan said in a statement. "An snsbars amendment that allows politicians to further interfere in our personal, private medical decisions, including a woman's right to choose safe, legal abortion, is unacceptable."

The initiative was part of a national campaign brought by Personhood USA. Similar "personhood" amendments have gone before Colorado voters twice in the past, but have failed to pass.

Personhood USA co-founder Keith Mason told The Associated Press that the cheap nfl jerseys initiative failed "not because the people are not pro-life. It's because Planned Parenthood put a lot of misconceptions and lies in front of folks and created a lot of confusion."
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He added that his group would try to revive efforts for another ballot initiative in Mississippi.