KDSN RADIO News
'Heartbeat' law takes effect today, halting most abortions in Iowa
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A law banning most abortions in Iowa will take effect at 8 o'clock this (Monday) morning. The so-called heartbeat law bans abortion as soon as cardiac activity is detected, which can be as early as six weeks of pregnancy. Maggie DeWitte is executive director of the Pro Life group called Pulse Life Advocates. She says during the years of legal battles over abortion, she wasn’t sure if the law would ever be enforced in Iowa.
“It’s just a range of emotions to now finally get to this day where, you know the legal process in the state of Iowa is finally going to protect babies from the moment the heartbeat can be detected. And that’s a day for celebration,” she says.
DeWitte says she’ll keep pushing Iowa lawmakers to ban abortion from the moment of conception. The deputy director at the Chicago Abortion Access Fund, Qudsiyyah Shariyf says they've partnered with the Iowa Abortion Fund to people with financial and logistical support to get abortions in anticipation of Iowa’s law going into effect.
"Since the beginning of July, we've already gotten 60 requests from Iowans, which reflects about a 165% increase in support requests from Iowans," Shariyf says, "so we definitely anticipate these numbers will grow."
The law does allow exceptions for rape, incest, medical emergencies, and fetal abnormalities that are incompatible with life.
