Iowa laws banning most abortions after 6 weeks of pregnancy takes effect Monday

An Iowa judge ruled Tuesday the state’s strict abortion law will take effect Monday, preventing most abortions after roughly six weeks of pregnancy.

The law passed last year, but a judge had blocked it from being enforced. The Iowa Supreme Court reiterated in last month that there is no constitutional right to an abortion in the state and ordered the hold to be lifted, which resulted in the district court judge’s decision Monday ordering the law to into effect next week, according to the Associated Press. 

Attorneys for abortion providers asked the judge for advance notice before the law goes into effect because a buffer period is needed to provide continuity of services. Iowa requires pregnant women to wait 24 hours for an abortion after getting an initial consultation. Abortion had been legal in the state up to 20 weeks of pregnancy, the wire service also reports.