The Iowa Supreme Court has reversed a lower-court ruling that put a temporary block on the state’s strict abortion law.
The ruling means most abortions are now illegal in Iowa after six weeks of pregnancy following the Court’s decision Friday.
The 4-3 decision is a significant victory for Republican lawmakers, positioning Iowa alongside more than a dozen states with restrictive abortion laws following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade.
The instructions to the lower court will be formally sent in 21 days and, for now, abortion remains legal in Iowa up to 20 weeks of pregnancy. It is unclear how long the district court would take to act after that point.
Currently, 14 states have near-total abortion bans, and three restrict abortions at around six weeks.
In its majority opinion, the Iowa Supreme Court reiterated that there is no constitutional right to abortion.
Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds promptly issued a statement celebrating the court’s decision, saying: “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. I’m glad that the Iowa Supreme Court has upheld the will of the people of Iowa.”
Chief Justice Susan Christensen strongly dissented, stating: “Today, our court’s majority strips Iowa women of their bodily autonomy by holding that there is no fundamental right to terminate a pregnancy under our state constitution. I cannot stand by this decision.”
Under the Iowa law, abortion is permitted after six weeks only in limited circumstances: cases of rape reported within 45 days, incest reported within 145 days, severe fetal abnormalities incompatible with life, or if the pregnancy endangers the patient’s life.
The Iowa law was passed during a special one-day session last July with exclusive Republican support. The American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa, Planned Parenthood North Central States, and the Emma Goldman Clinic immediately filed a legal challenge. The law was briefly in effect before a district court judge paused its enforcement, a decision that Gov. Reynolds appealed.
Following the initial implementation of the law, Planned Parenthood North Central States took measures to assist patients amid the uncertainty, rescheduling abortion appointments in other states. Since then, Planned Parenthood has ceased abortion services in two Iowa cities, including one in Des Moines. Currently, abortion services are available only in Ames, about 36 miles north of Des Moines.
Ahead of Friday’s decision, Planned Parenthood providers were preparing patients for potential outcomes, including the possibility of needing to reschedule appointments in other states if abortion became illegal for their circumstances.
Abortion access is expected to be a pivotal issue in the 2024 election nationwide. However, it remains to be seen whether Friday’s ruling will influence the political landscape in Iowa, which has been trending increasingly Republican.
Uncommon Knowledge
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