US Governor Signs ‘Fetal Heartbeat’ Abortion Ban Into Iowa Law

The Governor of the US state of Iowa on Friday, May 4, signed into law a ban on abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, which occurs as early as six weeks into a pregnancy.

The bill, approved by the Midwestern state’s Republican-controlled legislature just two days earlier, was expected to trigger a legal battle, which conservatives hope will land the flashpoint social issue back at the US Supreme Court.

 “I understand and I anticipate that this will likely be challenged in court, and that courts may even put a hold on the law until it reaches the Supreme Court,” Governor Kim Reynolds, also a Republican, said in a statement after the signing.

“However, this is bigger than just a law. This is about life. I am not going to back down from who I am or what I believe in,” she added.

Chants from protesters were audible in the room where Reynolds signed the bill, in a ceremony that was broadcast live.

State senators who backed the measure said earlier this week that they were aiming to challenge the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark Roe v. Wade decision that established that women have a constitutional right to an abortion.

Abortion opponents hoping to land the issue back in front of the nation’s top court believe the 5-4 conservative majority could sharply curtail abortion access or ban it outright.

Considered the most restrictive in the country, critics say the law would deny abortions to many women before they even know they are pregnant — with an exception for victims of rape or incest.

The state legislature approved the bill Wednesday after heated debate.

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