<p>Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds on Friday signed a bill which prohibits doctors from performing abortions after the point at which a fetal heartbeat can be detected. ;</p>
<p>Experts say a fetal heartbeat can be detected just six weeks after conception, often before the mother realizes she&rsquo;s pregnant.</p>
<p>Senate File 359 (AKA the &#8220;heartbeat&#8221; bill) makes exceptions for incest, rape, and cases where the mother&#8217;s life is in danger. A doctor found in violation of the bill could lose his license or be hit with criminal charges. Women who seek abortions in spite of the law would not be punished.</p>
<p>Reynolds signed the bill Friday before an audience of nearly 100 people, including children and toddlers. Protestors carrying coat hangers gathered outside the building and chanted &ldquo;my body, my choice&rdquo; during the ceremony.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I believe that all innocent life is precious and sacred,&rdquo; said Governor Reynolds. &ldquo;I understand that not everyone will agree with this decision. But if death is determined when a heart stops beating, then doesn&rsquo;t a beating heart indicate life?&rdquo;</p>
<p>The law is scheduled to go into effect on July 1st, but will probably be put on hold by legal challenges.</p>
<p>&ldquo;We will challenge this law with absolutely everything we have on behalf of our patients because Iowa will not go back,&rdquo; said CEO Suzanna de Baca of Planned Parenthood &#8211; Heartland. The ACLU has also promised to challenge the law. ;</p>
<p>&#8220;We know that abortion bans don&rsquo;t end abortion. This just ends safe abortion,&#8221; argues Des Moines resident Jennifer Weatherby, 32. ;</p>
<p>A federal court challenge would take Iowa&rsquo;s &#8220;heartbeat&#8221; bill to the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, which has become increasingly conservative during the Trump Administration. From there, it could move to the Supreme Court and potentially challenge<em> Roe v. Wade. ;</em></p>
<p>&ldquo;The bold pro-life action taken by the Iowa legislature reflects growing national pro-life sentiment and restlessness under the extreme status quo imposed by <em>Roe v. Wade</em>,&rdquo; says Marjorie Dannenfelser, who leads the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List. &ldquo;While Roe has not yet been reversed, it has been soundly rejected in the court of public opinion.&rdquo; ; ;</p>
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<p>Iowa&#8217;s &ldquo;heartbeat&rdquo; bill was approved by House lawmakers late Tuesday after a small group of Republicans threatened to withhold their votes on critical budget bills until the abortion measure was brought to a vote. The Senate approved it at 2:30am Wednesday ;morning. ;</p>
<p>Not a single Democrat in either chamber voted in favor of the bill. ;</p>