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(Reuters) – Iowa's law on "heartbeats," the most restrictive abortion ban in the United States, was declared unconstitutional on Tuesday, in violation of the law. the constitution of the state of Iowa, ruled by a judge.
On January 18, 2019, in Washington, United States, anti-abortion protesters gather in the Supreme Court during the 46th March for Life in Washington. REUTERS / Joshua Roberts
the procedure after the detection of the fetal heart rate, often at six weeks and before the woman realizes that she is pregnant.
In the decision, published online, District Court Judge Michael Huppert wrote: "It is indisputable that such cardiac activity is detectable long before the fetus becomes viable."
A viable fetus out of the womb, usually at 24 weeks, is widely regarded as the threshold in the United States to prohibit abortion.
District court decision is a victory for abortion rights advocates, but abortion opponents vowed to fight Iowa appeal courts, Des Moines reported Register and other media.
The purpose of the legislation is to challenge Roe v. Wade, the US Supreme Court's 1973 landmark ruling that women have a constitutional right to an abortion, told Reuters activists on both sides of the issue.
Senator Janet Petersen of Des Moines, the leader of the Senate Democrats in Iowa, praised the decision.
"The extreme law should have been overturned because it limited the freedom of Iowa women and girls to take care of their bodies and forced them to be mothers," she told the registry. . "The governor and legislative republicans should stop tackling women's health care."
Law supporters expected a long court battle.
The ultimate goal, according to opponents of abortion, was to take the case to the US Supreme Court, which became more conservative under President Donald Trump.
When the law of Iowa was passed for the first time, Republican state Senator Rick Bertand of Sioux City told Reuters: "We have created an opportunity to try our luck at Roe v. Wade – 100%. "
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