The state of Iowa is now also a strict abortion ban.
In another of the U.S. states, a strict abortion ban is now in effect: In Iowa, a law has taken effect that prohibits most abortions from the sixth week of pregnancy. At this stage of pregnancy, many women may not even know they are pregnant.
With Iowa, 22 of the 50 U.S. states now have restrictive abortion regulations in place. This wave of stringent legislation in conservative-dominated states was triggered by the Supreme Court's decision in June 2022 to overturn the nationwide right to abortion that had been in place for nearly 50 years, and to delegate the authority for abortion laws to the states.
The issue is playing a significant role in the current U.S. presidential election campaign. Vice President Kamala Harris is directly attributing the new law in Iowa and strict abortion bans in other states to former President Donald Trump. "This morning, more than 1.5 million women in Iowa woke up with fewer rights than they had the night before, thanks to another Trump abortion ban," Harris said on Monday.
The likely Democratic presidential candidate in the November election was referring to Trump's nomination of three conservative justices to the Supreme Court, which paved the way for the overturning of the nationwide abortion right.
Harris and the Democratic Party are banking on the abortion issue to appeal to female voters. Even before President Joe Biden announced his decision not to run for reelection on July 21 and endorsed Harris as the new presidential candidate, she had been traveling across the country advocating for a liberal abortion policy.
The restrictive abortion law in Iowa has now taken effect after a lengthy legal battle, following its confirmation by the Iowa Supreme Court at the end of June. Abortions after the sixth week of pregnancy are now only permitted in cases of rape and incest, as well as in medical emergencies where the life of the mother is at risk. Previously, abortion was allowed in Iowa up to the 20th week of pregnancy.
The overturning of the nationwide abortion right by the Supreme Court in June 2022 allowed states to establish their own abortion laws. This decision led to the confirmation of the restrictive abortion law in Iowa by their Supreme Court, effectively making the Court of Justice a pivotal player in shaping reproductive rights in the state.
During her presidential election campaign, Vice President Kamala Harris criticized former President Donald Trump for implementing strict abortion bans, including the one in Iowa, which she attributed to his nomination of conservative justices to the Supreme Court. This suggests that the Court of Justice, with its conservative-leaning justices, played a significant role in implementing these restrictive policies.
