Lawsuit Challenges Kansas Law That Voids Living Wills for Pregnant Women

June 5, 2025

(Ms.) – In 28 states, if you’re pregnant, the government can ignore your end-of-life wishes—no matter what you’ve written.

Reproductive freedom advocates filed a lawsuit, Vernon v. Kobach, on May 29 challenging the constitutionality of a Kansas law that automatically invalidates a person’s end-of-life treatment decisions in their living will if they are pregnant. The case argues that this law violates pregnant patient’s constitutional rights to bodily autonomy, privacy and equal treatment under Kansas law. 

Kansas is one of 28 states that restrict advance directives during pregnancy—16 based on the potential of fetal survival and 12 regardless of fetal survival. (Read More)