A law banning abortions after roughly six weeks gestation took effect in Iowa on Monday.
The Iowa Supreme Court ruled 4-to-3 last month that the law protecting unborn life could be enforced. An injunction on the law was dissolved at 8 a.m. local time on Monday.
Previously, abortion was legal in the Hawkeye State until around five months of pregnancy, well into the second trimester.
Iowa’s legislation is a sharp contrast to many Democrat-led states, like New York and California, which expanded abortion access after the fallout of Roe v. Wade. On the contrary, pro-life states worked to protect unborn life, which Townhall covered.
The Associated Press reported abortion clinics in left-wing Minnesota were preparing for an “influx” of patients from Iowa due to the pro-life law (via AP):
Sarah Traxler, an OB-GYN based in Minnesota and the chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood North Central States, said Iowa’s law could have ripple effects throughout the region.
“When the Dobbs decision came down, many of the patients coming to Iowa were from Missouri,” Traxler said in an interview with Minnesota Public Radio. “This is going to have resounding impacts on the region itself, especially the Midwest and the South.”
The Iowa Supreme Court reiterated in June that there is no constitutional right to an abortion in the state and ordered a hold on the law to be lifted. The district court judge’s orders last week set July 29 as the first day of enforcement.
Pro-life leaders in the state, like Gov. Kim Reynolds (R ), celebrated the court’s decision to uphold the law.
“There is no right more sacred than life, and nothing more worthy of our strongest defense than the innocent unborn. Iowa voters have spoken clearly through their elected representatives, both in 2018 when the original heartbeat bill was passed and signed into law, and again in 2023 when it passed by an even larger margin. I’m glad that the Iowa Supreme Court has upheld the will of the people of Iowa,” Reynolds said in a statement.
“As the heartbeat bill finally becomes law, we are deeply committed to supporting women in planning for motherhood, and promoting fatherhood and its importance in parenting. We will continue to develop policies that encourage strong families, which includes promoting adoption and protecting in vitro fertilization (IVF). Families are the cornerstone of society, and it’s what will keep the foundation of our state and country strong for generations to come,” she continued.