The Iowa Supreme Court narrowly ruled Friday that the state can enforce a law restricting abortion after about six weeks of pregnancy, finding the state has a “legitimate interest in protecting unborn life,” according to the majority opinion.
Iowa 6 Week Abortion Ban Approval: Court Decision and Legal Reasoning
In a 4-3 ruling, the justices reversed a temporary injunction that had blocked enforcement of the law and remanded the case for further proceedings. Justice Matthew McDermott, writing for the majority, emphasized that the court has already determined abortion isn’t a fundamental right under the Iowa Constitution. Consequently, the legal challenge filed by Planned Parenthood and others is subject to the rational basis test rather than a more strict standard.
“Employing that test here,” Justice McDermott said, “we conclude that the fetal heartbeat statute is rationally related to the state’s legitimate interest in protecting unborn life.”
Implications of the Law
At stake in the case is a state law that imposes a near-total ban on abortion after the detection of embryonic or fetal cardiac activity, which can occur as early as six weeks. It includes exceptions for medical emergencies, rape, and incest.
