An Iowa law banning most abortions after approximately six weeks of pregnancy has been signed into law. This has caused clinics to urgently seek out-of-state care options for many women who are now unable to access abortion services. Meanwhile, a judge is considering whether to temporarily suspend the law while its constitutionality is evaluated, with a ruling expected on Monday at the earliest. The legislation prohibits abortions once cardiac activity can be detected, typically around six weeks of pregnancy, before many women even realize they are pregnant. This marks a significant change in Iowa, where abortion had previously been legal up to 20 weeks of pregnancy. The ACLU of Iowa, Planned Parenthood North Central States, and the Emma Goldman Clinic have filed a legal challenge against the law. The court hearing was held on Friday, where representatives from these organizations spoke. However, Judge Joseph Seidlin stated that his ruling would not be made hastily and would not be expected until Monday. Governor Kim Reynolds signed the measure into law in the presence of 2,000 conservative Christians. The bill, which gained exclusive Republican support, passed on Tuesday following a 14-hour special legislative session. This new measure will be reviewed in light of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decisions and Iowa’s Supreme Court’s reversal of rulings supporting a woman’s constitutional right to abortion. The previous law that was blocked in 2018, which is nearly identical to the current law, has prompted Reynolds to seek reinstatement. The state’s high court was deadlocked last month, leading Reynolds to call upon lawmakers to reconvene. Planned Parenthood North Central States has been assisting patients in rescheduling appointments in other states, but remains hopeful for minimal interruptions in service. As of Wednesday, there were 200 patients with scheduled abortions at Iowa Planned Parenthood clinics or the Emma Goldman Clinic, most of whom have already exceeded the six-week mark in their pregnancies. One clinic extended its hours on Thursday to accommodate as many patients as possible before the new restrictions came into effect. The new law permits abortion under limited circumstances, such as rape or incest reported within specific time frames, fetal abnormalities incompatible with life, or if the pregnancy endangers the pregnant woman’s life. This Iowa law reflects a larger trend among Republican-led states to heavily restrict abortion access since the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to grant states authority over abortion laws. Close to a dozen states have implemented bans with limited exceptions, and Georgia, for example, prohibits abortion once cardiac activity is detected. Other states have similar restrictions that are currently subject to court rulings.
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