A strict US abortion law came into effect in the state of Iowa yesterday, enforcing a ban on most terminations after six weeks gestation – when cardiac activity is detected in a foetus.
The midwestern state’s Republican officials have been striving for the law to come into effect for a number of years and took advantage of the political landscape as Roe v Wade was overturned in 2022. Iowa joins other US states Florida, Georgia and South Carolina in prohibiting abortion after six weeks of pregnancy, while 14 other states have banned the medical procedure outright.
Republican Governor Kim Reynold’s said earlier this year: ‘I’m glad the Supreme Court has upheld the will of the people of Iowa, there is nothing more sacred than life.’ Meanwhile, Sarah Traxler, Planned Parenthood North Central States’ chief medical officer, has dubbed the move a ‘devastating and dark moment in Iowa’s history’.
The new law was briefly passed last year, but was only in effect for days after pro-abortion groups prompted a judge to temporarily block the new legislation. After the Iowa Supreme Court reiterated it’s ruling the law was pushed through despite challenges from campaigners. The law is being dubbed ‘the heartbeat protection act’ as in most pregnancies cardiac activity can be detected as early as six weeks.
Global human rights group Live Action posted to their X account: ‘This is a monumental and encouraging step toward human rights for everyone – we will continue our effort until every child in the womb, at every stage of development, is protected.’
Facilities that provide abortion in Iowa have been looking into possibilities that women can have a termination as the law comes into effect, by scouring out land in neighbouring states such as Nebraska where abortion is legal up to 12 weeks gestation.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has called the new law ‘disturbing, dangerous and unjust’ and says ‘here in Illinois we will welcome our Iowan neighbours for reproductive freedom and whatever care they need.’
Yesterday, Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris wrote on social media: ‘This morning, more than 1.5 million women in Iowa woke up with fewer rights than they had last night because of another Trump Abortion Ban.’
She also said: ‘ More than one in three women of reproductive age now live in a state with a Trump abortion ban,’ she claimed if elected president she will ‘sign a law restoring and protecting reproductive freedom in every state.’
The largest critics of Iowa’s strict abortion ban point out that many women don’t know they are pregnant at six weeks.
