Iowa has enacted a near-total abortion ban, prohibiting abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, a time when many women are unaware they are pregnant. This follows a year-long legal battle and a 4-3 ruling by the Iowa Supreme Court. The law includes exceptions for rape, incest, and when the mother’s or fetus’s life is in danger, but these have often proven ineffective in other states.
The ban has sparked criticism from Democrats, with Vice President Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, calling it a “Trump Abortion Ban” and highlighting the reduction of women’s rights. The law is seen as a major shift from the previous state law that allowed abortions up to 20 weeks of gestation.
The law’s passage brings Iowa into a group of 22 states that have implemented stricter abortion regulations since the overturn of Roe v. Wade. While Trump is expected to win Iowa easily, the issue of abortion remains a challenge for Republicans, as polls show a majority of Iowans support abortion rights. Democrats are energized by the issue and see it as a key factor in the upcoming election.