Purvi Patel from Indiana is the first woman to be convicted of feticide in the United States and her case has raised issues regarding the welfare of a mother following a miscarriage.
Patel was arrested in 2013 after she sought medical attention having given birth prematurely in her home.
Having discarded the infant, initially understood to be stillborn, Patel experienced heavy bleeding which necessitated medical intervention.
Upon discovering an umbilical cord, doctors alerted police who questioned the woman as to the whereabouts and welfare of her infant.
Defending her actions, Patel told police: "I assumed because the baby was dead there was nothing to do. I've never been in this situation. I've never been pregnant before."
Phone evidence presented during Patel's trial suggested the woman had ingested abortion-inducing drugs prior to her arrest and despite toxicologists not finding any trace of the drug in the woman's body, jurors convicted the woman of feticide.
Suggesting that Patel was in fact 30 weeks pregnant at the time of the child's death, as opposed to the 24 asserted by Patel, meant that prosecutors could argue the infant was alive at the time of its delivery thereby leaving Patel guilty of neglect in addition to other charges.
Speaking out about the case, Deepa Iyer, an activist at the University of Maryland's Asian American Studies Program, said: "Purvi Patel's conviction amounts to punishment for having a miscarriage and then seeking medical care, something no woman should worry would lead to jail time."
Patel's conviction of feticide has raised questions about the law which was originally created as an enforcement against illegal abortion providers, but wasn't expected to be used against pregnant women.
Commenting on the case, the Executive Director for National Advocates for Pregnant Women, Lynn Paltrow, said: "What this conviction means is that anti-abortion laws will be used to punish pregnant women."
Patel has been sentenced to 30 years with 10 suspended for child neglect and six years for feticide which will run concurrently.
Patel is expected to appeal the conviction
