‘Baby Olivia’ inspires multiple states to pass prenatal development education laws

Since 2021, Live Action’s “Baby Olivia” video has provided scientifically accurate computer animations showing human prenatal development, and inspired six states to pass legislation requiring public school students to view detailed prenatal development. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Six states have now signed prenatal development requirements into law for students in public schools, inspired by Live Action’s “Baby Olivia” video.

• There are minor variations in all of the prenatal development laws that have been enacted, but all require public school students to view some form of detailed ultrasound or animated video that shows specific organ development and milestones for human development in the womb.

• Eighteen other states have introduced such bills, with three states advancing the legislation to various stages. More states are likely to pass forms of “Baby Olivia” legislation in the future.

THE DETAILS:

Recently, Iowa and Indiana passed bills to include prenatal development education in public schools; “Baby Olivia” could be used as part of the curricula. Four other states — Idaho, Kansas, North Dakota, and Tennessee — have passed similar legislation this year that require prenatal development content in public schools. 

“This legislation ensures that students in these states will see medically accurate, visually compelling educational materials in public school including resources like Live Action’s ‘Baby Olivia’ video, which illustrates the humanity of the preborn child from the earliest stages of development,” President and Founder of Live Action Lila Rose said in a statement.

A Never Before Seen Look At Human Life In The Womb | Baby Olivia

Iowa Rep. Helena Hayes (R-New Sharon) said the state’s law requires medically accurate information and is not a political question. “This bill insists on material being medically accurate, peer-reviewed, bias-free, respecting both intellect and conscience,” Hayes said. “It’s not about politics, but it challenges us to see value, beauty and dignity in every stage of human life.”

There are minor variations among the states that passed bills this year:

• Idaho’s Senate Bill 1046 requires “human growth and development instruction” for students in fifth through 12th grade.

• Indiana‘s Senate Bill 442 requires students taking instruction in human sexuality to view a minimum three-minute high-definition ultrasound video showing development of specific organs, as well as a “high quality computer generated rendering or animation” showing stages of development from fertilization.

• Iowa‘s Senate Bill 175 requires public school students from fourth through twelfth grade to view “a high-definition ultrasound video” showing specific organs as well as “a high-quality, computer-generated rendering or animation, or an ultrasound or other real image” showing development starting at fertilization.

• Kansas’ House Bill 2382 requires public school students to watch a three-minute (minimum) video of a high-definition ultrasound or animation detailing human development in the womb. This legislation was vetoed by the governor but the veto was overridden by the legislature.

• North Dakota requires the presentation of a three-minute detailed ultrasound video as well as a high quality computer rendering or animation that describes prenatal development in detail in both health and human sexuality classes in its House Bill 1265. State Senator Jane Myrdal showcased “Baby Olivia” on the floor as an example of such educational content.

• Tennessee‘s Baby Olivia Act also requires the presentation of at least a three-minute computer-generated video or high quality ultrasound.

Arkansas also filed a bill for prenatal development education that eventually passed — but the version that passed removed a requirement for computer-generated animations such as “Baby Olivia.”

Regardless, “Baby Olivia” was the impetus for the introduction of prenatal development education in that state as well as others.

BY THE NUMBERS:

Eighteen other states have introduced similar legislation: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.

→ In New Hampshire, bill HB667-FN passed the second chamber, with the House approving the Senate’s amendments.

→ Bills in both Texas and Oklahoma passed the first chamber.

THE BACKSTORY:

Live Action created “Baby Olivia” in collaboration with a panel of medical doctors, including experts in embryonic and fetal development — Dr. David Bolender; Dr. Donna Harrison; Dr. Tara Sander Lee; Dr. Katrina Furth; Dr. Michelle Cretella; and Dr. Jeffrey Barrows, DO, MA — who each endorsed the project.

Certified OB/GYN Kathi Aultman, MD, FACOG, noted that Olivia “is based on information from the Endowment for Human Development, a highly respected scientific source on embryology and fetal development. Olivia draws back the curtain on the womb giving us a realistic glimpse of the baby within.”

THE BOTTOM LINE:

Live Action has published Baby Olivia resources with the hope that she would aid states in establishing pro-life education. Six have taken that step. More will likely follow. 

“Live Action and the medical experts we collaborated with stand by the scientific accuracy of every aspect in Baby Olivia,” Rose said. “Baby Olivia is a medically accurate, animated glimpse of human life from the moment of fertilization…. Every student in America should have access to world-class educational materials on the science behind human development in the womb.”