Lawmakers at the capitol passed legislation early Wednesday morning that would ban abortions once a heartbeat is detected. The bill awaits Gov. Reynolds’ signature.
What the legislation means:
-Once a fetal heartbeat is detected, a woman cannot get an abortion and a doctor cannot perform one. This is typically around 6 weeks after conception.
-A woman must sign a formal letter stating that she knows a heartbeat has been detected and abortion is prohibited
-There is an exception for rape and incest, but the definition of rape and incest is not defined in the bill
-Women have 45 days to report a rape to police or a doctor
-Women have 140 days to report incest
-If a doctor determines the fetus is “incompatible with life”, a procedure can be done
-There is no criminal or civil penalty for getting an abortion or performing one
-The 5-month abortion ban from the 2017 bill is still in effect
-The 72-hour wait period is still being weighed by the Iowa Supreme Court
