Iowa judge blocks state's new abortion law

Key Facts

Protesters gather at the Iowa Capitol rotunda to voice opposition to a new ban on abortion after roughly six weeks of pregnancy introduced by Republican lawmakers in a special session in Des Moines, Iowa, on July 11, 2023.
That means abortion is once again legal in Iowa up to 20 weeks of pregnancy while the courts assess the new law’s constitutionality.
There are limited circumstances under the law that would allow for abortion after the point in a pregnancy where cardiac activity is detected: rape, if reported to law enforcement or a health provider within 45 days; incest, if reported within 145 days; if the fetus has a fetal abnormality “incompatible with life;” or if the pregnancy is endangering the life of the pregnant woman.
“We are also acutely aware that the relief is only pending further litigation and the future of abortion in Iowa remains tenuous and threatened.”