Take Action: Help End Cruel Practice Against Grieving Mothers

Don't let the Iowa Department of Public Health erase Jenny Buntemeyer from her son’s death certificate just because he had two moms. Sign our petition now!

Jenny Buntemeyer and Jessica Aiken met in 2008 and fell in love while serving in Iraq. They married in Iowa on October 8, 2010, and remain in the Army Reserve. After planning a family together, Jessica became pregnant via in vitro fertilization and an anonymous donor.

On October 21, 2011, Jessica gave birth in Iowa to Brayden Bruce Buntemeyer, at 30 weeks’ gestation. He died in utero prior to labor after his umbilical cord became wound around his neck. On the fetal death certificate form, Jessica filled out the boxes for “mother” and Jenny filled out the boxes marked “father,” the only option on the form for a second parent. On January 12, 2012, the Iowa Department of Public Health issued them a death certificate on which someone had erased Jenny’s name and identifying information.

As of October 2012, the Iowa Department of Public Health continues to defend its behavior, which was not only unjustifiably cruel, but inconsistent with Iowa law.

Tell the Iowa Department of Public Health to end this cruel practice now!