Oklahoma Woman’s Manslaughter Conviction Over Miscarriage Criticized as ‘Shameful’

The manslaughter conviction of an Oklahoma woman who experienced a miscarriage is drawing widespread condemnation from advocacy groups and beyond, with many pointing to this “shameful” turn of events as the latest example of a dangerous precedent being reinforced.

21-year-old Brittney Poolaw, per the Associated Press, was sentenced to four years in prison earlier this month after being convicted of first-degree manslaughter. While an autopsy of the fetus is reported to have tested positive for methamphetamine, there remains “no evidence” that any meth use was the cause of the miscarriage.

Instead, per National Advocates for Pregnant Women (NAPW) executive director Lynn Paltrow, the miscarriage—as shown in the autopsy—could have been caused by congenital abnormality and placental abruption. Furthermore, the fetus was determined to be between 15 and 17 weeks old, meaning it wouldn’t have viably survived outside the womb. A miscarriage or early pregnancy loss is defined as when an embryo or a fetus dies in the womb prior to the 20-week mark.