An Iowa judge has ruled that the state’s strict abortion law will go into effect on Monday, preventing most abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy, before many women are aware they are pregnant.
The law was passed last year, but had been blocked from enforcement by a judge. In June, the Iowa Supreme Court reiterated that there is no constitutional right to abortion in the state and ordered the hold to be lifted. As a result, a district court judge has now ordered the law to take effect next Monday at 8:00 a.m. Central time.
Abortion providers’ lawyers requested notice before the law takes hold, stating that a grace period was needed for continuity of services. Iowa currently mandates a 24-hour waiting period for abortions after an initial consultation. Previously, abortion had been legal in the state up to 20 weeks of pregnancy.
This decision marked a significant victory for Iowa’s Republican leaders after years of legal and legislative battles.
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Iowa will now join over a dozen states where abortion access has been severely limited since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Currently, 14 states have near-total bans on abortions at all stages of pregnancy, and three states (soon to be four, including Iowa) ban abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy.
Abortion access is expected to be a major issue in the 2024 election, particularly as Vice President Kamala Harris emerges as a leader within the Democratic Party. Harris has emphasized the importance of reproductive health in the elections and has been raising awareness on the issue nationwide.
Republican-controlled Legislature in Iowa passed the law in a special session last July, leading to immediate legal challenges from organizations like the ACLU of Iowa, Planned Parenthood, and the Emma Goldman Clinic. The law briefly went into effect before being blocked by a district court judge.
“Today is a victory for life,” stated Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds.
The Iowa law allows for abortion after six weeks of pregnancy in limited circumstances, such as in cases of rape, incest, fetal abnormality, or danger to the mother’s life.
Planned Parenthood and the Emma Goldman Clinic have indicated that they will continue to offer abortion services in compliance with the law when it takes effect.
