An Iowa judge ruled Tuesday that the “fetal heartbeat” law, the most restrictive ban on abortion in the United States, violated the state’s constitution. The law prohibits abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected, often as early as six weeks. It was passed by Iowa’s Republican-controlled legislature in May 2018. Many women do not even realize they are pregnant that early in the gestation cycle. The ruling judge, District Court Judge Michael Huppert, posted his finding online: “It is undisputed that such cardiac activity is detectable well in advance of the fetus becoming viable.” Most fetuses are potentially viable outside the womb at 24 weeks, which is traditionally held as the soonest cut-off date for legal abortion. Those supporting the law vow to take the case to Iowa’s appellate court with an eye on challenging Roe v. Wade before the conservative-majority U.S. Supreme Court. “The extreme law should have been overturned, because it restricted the freedom of Iowa women and girls to care for their bodies, and it forced motherhood on them,” Iowa’s top Democrat, State Senator Janet Petersen, told the Des Moines Register. “The governor and legislative Republicans should stop attacking women’s health care.”
