A new law banning nearly all abortions after six weeks has gone into effect in Iowa. The legislation, which prohibits the procedure once early cardiac activity is detected in a fetus or embryo, includes exceptions for rape, incest, fetal abnormalities, and threats to the mother’s life.
Passed by Republicans and initially blocked, the ban was recently upheld by Iowa’s highest court. This policy, one of the strictest in the U.S. since the national right to abortion was revoked two years ago, drastically reduces the previous 20-week abortion limit in Iowa.
The 1973 Roe v. Wade decision had protected abortion rights until fetal viability, typically between 24 and 28 weeks, but was overturned in 2022. Iowa’s ban adds to the list of Midwestern states with similar restrictions, driving residents to seek abortion services in neighboring states like Illinois and Minnesota, which have expanded access.
Governors from these adjacent states have expressed their commitment to providing support and access to reproductive care for those affected by Iowa’s new restrictions.
