Iowa Judge Halts Controversial Abortion Law

An Iowa judge has temporarily blocked the state's new ban on most abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy, just days after it was signed into law by Governor Kim Reynolds. The law, which prohibits almost all abortions once cardiac activity can be detected, is now on hold while the courts assess its constitutionality. Abortion providers had rushed to accommodate as many appointments as possible before the law took effect. The ruling specifies that the state's Board of Medicine should proceed with creating rules for enforcement, while limited circumstances for abortion after cardiac activity is detected are outlined. The judge's decision is based on the "undue burden" test, which requires laws to not create significant obstacles to abortion.