Mississippi voters’ decision today on when life begins could cast national ripples

Mississippi voters will decide today whether their state will become the first in the nation to declare constitutionally that life begins at fertilization.

If they do so, supporters of Initiative 26 say it could prompt a court challenge that seeks to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision that established a legal right to abortion.

Under the item, backed by Colorado-based Personhood USA and one of three initiatives on a crowded general election ballot, a fertilized human egg would be granted the same rights as an adult.

That, some say, could leave physicians caught between their oath to do no harm and a potential manslaughter conviction and prison sentence for terminating problem pregnancies.

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