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, which is before many women are aware they are pregnant.
The law was passed last year but was blocked from being enforced until now. The Iowa Supreme Court clarified in June that there is no constitutional right to an abortion in the state and ordered the hold to be lifted. This led to the district court judge’s decision to implement the law next Monday at 8:00 a.m. Central time.
Lawyers representing abortion providers requested notice before the law takes effect, arguing for a buffer period to ensure continuity of services. Iowa mandates a 24-hour waiting period for an abortion after the initial consultation. Previously, abortion was legal in the state up to 20 weeks of pregnancy.
The decision by the high court 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 overturn of Roe v. Wade. Currently, 14 states have near-total bans on abortion at all stages of pregnancy, and three states—soon to be four, including Iowa—prohibit abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy.
Abortion access is expected to be a major issue in the 2024 election, especially as Vice President Kamala Harris aims to lead the Democratic Party. Harris has emphasized the importance of reproductive health in the upcoming election and has actively addressed the issue nationwide, including in Des Moines a year ago when the stricter law was initially passed.
Following the passage of the law by Iowa’s Republican-controlled Legislature last July, a legal challenge was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa, Planned Parenthood North Central States, and the Emma Goldman Clinic. The law briefly went into effect before being temporarily blocked by a district court judge.
Republican Governor Kim Reynolds hailed the judge’s ruling as a “victory for life.”
There are limited exceptions under the Iowa law that allow for abortion after six weeks of pregnancy, including cases of rape, incest, fetal abnormalities, or when the pregnancy endangers the mother’s life.
Planned Parenthood and the Emma Goldman Clinic have indicated they will continue to offer abortion services in Iowa while complying with the new law.
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The law in Iowa prohibits abortions once cardiac activity can be detected, around six weeks into pregnancy. The uncertainty of gestational age means that there are no plans to cutoff abortions at a specific point.
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that a significant percentage of abortions in Iowa in 2021 occurred before six weeks of gestational age.
In states with similar bans, the number of abortions has seen a substantial decrease.
The majority of the Iowa Supreme Court’s recent opinion focused on the government’s legitimate interest in restricting abortion rather than the burden on those seeking access to the procedure.
Iowa’s conservative leaders, including Chuck Hurley of The Family Leader, welcomed the court’s decision as progress in protecting the rights of the unborn. Hurley emphasized the need to continue efforts to safeguard life.
