A new law aims to curb teen pregnancies by collecting umbilical cord blood from young mothers to use in criminal proceedings against statutory rapists. Beginning July 1, doctors in Mississippi will be required to collect samples of umbilical cord blood from certain teenage mothers. The law, House Bill No. 151, was introduced by state Rep. Andy Gipson in an effort to combat the state’s high teen pregnancy rate. The new law requires doctors and midwives to collect blood samples from umbilical cords for all births to girls who were 16 or younger when they conceived if there’s reason to suspect the pregnancy resulted from sex crimes against a minor, including if the girl won’t identify the child’s father, if the father is listed as “unknown,” if there’s a dispute over paternity, if the father is identified as being over 21 years old, or if the father is listed as deceased. The blood sample will be stored at the state medical examiner’s office and can be used in criminal proceedings against the fathers. The samples can be collected without the father’s consent because cord blood is considered medical waste.

Teen Pregnancy in Mississippi Despite the popularity of reality television shows depicting teenage pregnancies, nationally the teen pregnancy rate is at a record low, with 31.3 live births per 1,000 mothers ages 15 to 19. Mississippi has the highest rate of teen pregnancy in the U.S., with 55 out of 1,000 births to mothers in that age range, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . The new law is just one of Gov. Phil Bryant’s initiatives to lower teen pregnancy rates in the state since he took office in early 2012. Since then, he’s also signed a bill requiring the preservation of fetal tissue samples for DNA testing from all girls under 14 who receive abortions. “As governor, I am serious about confronting and reducing teen pregnancy in Mississippi. Unfortunately, part of this epidemic is driven by sexual offenders who prey on young girls,” Bryant told Reuters. “This measure provides law enforcement with another tool to help identify these men and bring them to justice.” Representatives from his office were unavailable for comment Thursday. However, the law already has its share of challengers, including women’s rights groups and legal watchdogs concerned about genetic privacy. Since the law is entering uncharted legal territory, it may be challenged in court on numerous grounds.