Feticide in GA is when someone intentionally causes the death of an unborn child by harming the mother. This would be considered murder if it resulted in the mother’s death. Feticide can also occur by causing the death of the fetus while committing a felony. This feticide definition is outlined in Georgia Code § 16-5-80.
The law applies to “unborn children” at any stage of development in the womb. New laws, such as the six-week abortion ban in 2022, aim to protect the rights of unborn babies. These laws may also bring more focus on actions that could harm a fetus.
Georgia’s feticide law has changed recently, along with laws in other states. This happened after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. The state Supreme Court has upheld Georgia’s six-week abortion ban.