An Iowa law banning most abortions in the state will take effect Monday, nearly a year after Gov. Kim Reynolds signed it into law.
The law prohibits doctors from performing abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected — about six weeks into pregnancy, before most women know they’re pregnant. Briefly enacted in July 2023, but lower court temporarily blocked the ban a few days later in response to a legal challenge brought by abortion providers and the American Civil Liberties Union.
The Iowa Supreme Court overturned that decision last month, declaring the policy constitutional and clearing the way for it to take effect.
A district court judge in Polk County said the law could take full effect starting July 29 at 8 a.m. CT to give medical providers time to receive notice of the change.
The ACLU of Iowa tried to ask the Iowa Supreme Court to reconsider the case earlier this month, but the court denied that request on Monday.
Iowa’s new abortion law includes exceptions for rape, incest, “non-viable” fetal abnormalities and medical emergencies that threaten the life of the pregnant woman.
Previously, Iowa allowed abortions up to 20 weeks, meaning the vast majority of those who wanted to terminate a pregnancy could do so. The new law puts Iowa among three other states that will similarly ban abortions in about six weeks: Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. Fourteen states have outright bans on abortion, and 22 states (including Iowa) have some form of abortion restriction.
Only two abortion clinics in Iowa offer in-person care: the Emma Goldman Clinic and Planned Parenthood in Ames. Planned Parenthood of the Heartland and Emma Goldman Clinic, representing Iowa clinics, were both plaintiffs challenging the law.
Both organizations said they would continue to provide abortions under state law, but most Iowans seeking abortions would have to travel to other states. The closest options for Iowans will likely be Illinois, Minnesota or Nebraskaalthough Nebraska restricts abortions after 12 weeks.
Ruth Richardson, president of Planned Parenthood North Central States, said the organization is expanding abortion access in the region ahead of Iowa’s policy change. For example, he said, a clinic in Mankato, Minnesota, has added medical abortion services; St. Paul, Minnesota, clinic opened more appointments; and Omaha, Nebraska, is expanding its physical footprint to triple the number of patients it can accommodate.
“We are committed to helping patients access care, even if it means traveling out of state,” Richardson told reporters last week.
The This is what the Emma Goldman Clinic statement says Last month, he said he would help those who can’t get abortions in Iowa get one in other states.
according to Guttmacher Institute analysisA research organization that supports abortion access, the number of people crossing state lines to get abortions has nearly doubled since 2020. The analysis is based on the Supreme Court’s 2022 Roe Wade v.
Republican lawmakers in Iowa tried to pass legislation in 2018 to restrict abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, but a lower court permanently blocked the law in 2019, and the Iowa Supreme Court upheld the lower court’s decision last year.
One statement last month about the new law, Reynolds, a Republican, said Iowa voters “have spoken clearly through their elected representatives” and that the Iowa Supreme Court decision “supports the will of the people.”
About 63% of the respondents A survey by the National Pew Research Center earlier this year said they think abortion should be legal in all or most cases.
Fallon Gallagher contributed.