The Supreme Court of the state of Iowa (USA) has decided to prohibit abortion after six weeks of gestation. This decision marks a significant change in state abortion legislation, aligning with more severe restrictions implemented in other states.
Historically, the United States has been a leader in the legalization of abortion since the emblematic case “Roe v. Wade” in 1973, which eliminated any restrictions during the first trimester of pregnancy. However, on June 24, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to abortion in the case “Dobbs v. Jackson,” with a vote of 6-3. This decision returned the power to legislate on abortion to the states, which has resulted in restrictions in more than 65% of the United States.
Before this recent decision, Iowa allowed abortion up to 21 weeks and 6 days of gestation. With the new measure, this limit is reduced to six weeks, although temporarily, while waiting for the lower court to follow the instructions of the high court. It is unclear when the lower court will take final action on the matter.
Currently, 14 states in the US have almost complete bans on abortion in all phases of pregnancy, and three states impose restrictions after six weeks.
The measure in Iowa represents a victory for Republican lawmakers who advocate for stricter restrictions on abortion.
