Washington D.C., Jul 18, 2023 / 08:30 am
An Iowa judge on Monday granted Planned Parenthood of the Heartland’s request to temporarily block the state’s new “heartbeat” abortion ban. This means that abortion remains legal in Iowa for up to 20 weeks of pregnancy while legal challenges to the heartbeat law work their way through the courts.
Iowa’s heartbeat law prohibits abortion after an unborn baby’s heartbeat is detectable, which is typically at about six weeks. The law does include exceptions for rape, incest, and fetal abnormalities. The measure was signed into law by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Friday and took immediate effect.
Polk County District Court Judge Joseph Seidlin’s order suspended the law while it is being reviewed.
The law was passed by Iowa’s majority Republican Legislature in a one-day special session on July 11.