Recognizing that Adriana Smith and her family's prolonged ordeal without their consent is the direct result of the Black maternal health crisis, the danger of laws that give rights to fetuses and take them away from pregnant people, and anti-abortion laws that continue to harm people who can become pregnant.

H. Res. 522 is a non-binding resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives that states Adriana Smith’s stated ordeal illustrates the Black maternal health crisis and the dangers of laws that grant rights to fetuses while limiting or overturning the autonomy of pregnant people. It condemns fetal-rights laws and anti-abortion laws as harmful to pregnant people and their families, especially Black women, and calls on states to repeal abortion bans, protect pregnant people’s advance directives, and clarify how fetal-rights laws should be interpreted so they prioritize the health and autonomy of pregnant patients. The resolution frames Adriana Smith’s case as evidence of broader systemic issues and urges actions to reaffirm autonomy and dignity for pregnant people. Important context: as a House resolution, it expresses the views of the body and urges policy changes, but it does not itself create or change law or provide funding. It highlights concerns about advance directives, state abortion restrictions (including Georgia’s LIFE Act), and the chilling effect anti-abortion laws can have on medical care.