Iowa Supreme Court rules on abortion law

The Iowa Supreme Court has found the “heartbeat” abortion prohibition law to be constitutional under a rational basis standard. The case has been sent back to district court with instructions to dissolve the injunction against the law. When that happens in the near future, the law will go into effect.

The Catholic bishops of Iowa have released a statement on the Iowa Supreme Court's decision concerning the law, which would stop abortions after a heartbeat can be detected, often after six weeks of pregnancy.

The bishops said, “For us, this is a question of the common good and human dignity. Human life is precious and should be protected in our laws to the greatest extent possible.”

The bishops invited all to join them in solidarity with “pregnant women in distress, with the men who fathered these children, and with families in need.”