A general view of the Iowa state capitol on the day of the Iowa Caucus in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S. February 3, 2020. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo
Iowa Enforces Six-Week Abortion Ban, Joining 21 Other States
On Monday, Iowa enforced a ban on abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, becoming the 22nd state to implement significant restrictions on abortion following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn federal abortion rights. This law takes effect after the Iowa Supreme Court last month rejected a challenge from Planned Parenthood aimed at halting its enforcement.
The law, which prohibits abortions before many women realize they are pregnant, allows exceptions for cases of rape, medical emergencies, and fatal fetal anomalies. It was enacted during a special legislative session in 2023, following the state Supreme Court’s decision not to reinstate a separate abortion ban from 2018. Efforts by Democratic legislators to expand exceptions within the law, including a proposal to permit abortions for pregnant children aged 12 or under, were rebuffed by the Republican majority in the legislature.
Prior to this law, abortion in Iowa was permitted up to 20 weeks of pregnancy. Maggie DeWitte, Executive Director of Pulse Life Advocates, an anti-abortion organization, expressed her approval of the new restrictions. In an interview with Reuters, DeWitte stated that her group hopes the state’s conservative legislature will pass even stricter abortion regulations in future sessions. “Our end goal, our gold standard, has been and will continue to be protecting all life from the moment of conception,” she said.
Pro-abortion rights advocates have vowed to continue their fight for abortion access, both at the ballot box and by aiding those seeking abortions. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre emphasized in a statement that Iowa’s new law places women’s health and lives at risk, noting that such bans are enacted by Republican elected officials.
Abortion remains a significant issue for Democratic candidates in this year’s elections, with abortion bans in Republican-led states proving to be unpopular among a majority of Americans. Vice President Kamala Harris, the likely Democratic presidential nominee for the November election against former President Donald Trump, remarked on social media platform X that Iowa’s ban has created a “health care crisis for women across the state.”
Ruth Richardson, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood North Central States, expressed sorrow over the enforcement of the law. “Our hearts are heavy as Iowans have lost the ability to make personal, private medical decisions,” she said in a statement.
Planned Parenthood has announced plans to assist Iowa women seeking abortions by facilitating travel to its clinics in Nebraska, where abortion is restricted after 12 weeks, and Minnesota, which does not impose gestational age limits on abortion.
COMMENTS