HEALTH: Requests certain entities to evaluate the use of certain terms related to miscarriage

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Chad Boyer and 1 co-sponsor

Urges national health authorities to replace stigmatizing terms for miscarriage with more patient-centered language, while preserving medical accuracy and coding integrity.

Taken by the Clerk of the House and presented to the Secretary of State in accordance with the Rules of the House.

Overview

Bill: HR 324 (Louisiana)

Session: 2026 Regular Session

Purpose: Urge and request national and professional health authorities to review and revise medical terminology related to miscarriage and pregnancy loss to be more accurate, patient-centered, compassionate, and sensitive to women and families.

Objective and Intent

Aims to reduce stigma, confusion, and emotional distress associated with certain terms used to describe miscarriage and pregnancy loss.

Seeks alignment of terminology with current clinical guidance and patient-centered communication while preserving medical accuracy, clinical judgment, and billing/coding integrity.

Key Provisions

Urges and requests the following entities to evaluate terminology related to miscarriage and pregnancy loss, including terms such as:

Spontaneous abortion
Missed abortion
Incomplete abortion
Threatened abortion
Inevitable abortion

Targets a broad set of authorities and organizations, including but not limited to:

World Health Organization (WHO)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
American Medical Association (AMA)
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)
Other relevant medical, public health, coding, and professional authorities

Recommends considering replacements or supplements with more patient-centered terms such as:

Miscarriage
Early pregnancy loss
Pregnancy loss
Intrauterine pregnancy loss
Other clinically appropriate terminology

Clarifies that changes should not compromise:

Medical accuracy
Clinical judgment
Patient safety
Billing integrity or coding uniformity
Ability to document diagnoses and procedures accurately

Who Is Affected

Indirectly affects patients experiencing miscarriage or pregnancy loss by promoting terminology that may reduce distress and improve understanding.

Affects medical professionals, health systems, coders, and billing staff through potential shifts in preferred terminology.

Involves national and international health organizations and professional associations that publish guidelines and codes (e.g., ICD, CPT).

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

This measure is a non-binding resolution urging action by named authorities.

No specific legislative timeline or mandated deadlines is set in the resolution.

Requires transmission of a copy of the resolution to key leaders and agencies (e.g., WHO, HHS, CDC, CMS, AMA, ACOG), as well as Louisiana’s congressional delegation and state health/medical boards.

Practical Impact

Signals Louisiana’s preference for adopting and advocating terminology that is more patient-centered and less stigmatizing when referring to miscarriage and pregnancy loss.

Could prompt reviews and potential terminology updates in national coding and clinical guidance, which may eventually influence medical records, billing, and patient communications.

Maintains safeguards to ensure medical and coding standards are not compromised.

Supporting Context

Cites research and statements from WHO, ACOG, and related literature noting stigma, mental health impact, and the evolving use of terminology in pregnancy loss.

Reflects advocacy from Red Bird Ministries and affected families calling for more compassionate language.

If you’d like, I can add a brief comparison of current terms versus proposed alternatives and outline potential implementation steps for health providers.