Iowa's abortion providers now have some guidance for the paused 6-week ban, if it is upheld
Iowa’s medical board has approved some guidance abortion providers would need to follow if the state’s ban on most abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy is upheld by the Iowa Supreme Court
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s medical board on Thursday approved some guidance abortion providers would need to follow if the state’s ban on most abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy is upheld by the Iowa Supreme Court.
The restrictive abortion law is currently on hold as the court considers Gov. Kim Reynolds ' appeal of the lower court’s decision that paused the crux of it, but the medical board was instructed to continue with its rulemaking process to ensure physicians would have guidance in place when the court rules.
While the board’s language outlines how physicians are to follow the law, the specifics on enforcement are more limited. The rules do not outline how the board would determine noncompliance or what the appropriate disciplinary action might be. Also missing are specific guidelines for how badly a pregnant woman’s health must decline before their life is sufficiently endangered to provide physicians protection from discipline.
The new law would prohibit almost all abortions once cardiac activity can be detected, which is usually around six weeks of pregnancy and before many women know they are pregnant. That would be a stark change for women in Iowa, where abortion is legal up to 20 weeks of pregnancy.
