WASHINGTON (July 12, 2023)—On Tuesday, in a special one-day session, Iowa’s Republican-controlled legislature passed a bill that bans most abortions after fetal cardiac activity is detected, which typically occurs six weeks into pregnancy. Abortion is currently legal in Iowa up to 22 weeks. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds called for the special legislative session solely to pass the abortion restrictions and is expected to sign the bill on Friday. In 2018 the state legislature passed a nearly identical six-week abortion ban, but the law did not go into effect after a state judge struck it down as unconstitutional. While the 2018 abortion ban would have given the Iowa Board of Medicine some time to create the rules of enforcement, the new bill will go into effect as soon as the governor signs it.
George Washington University has experts available to comment on the legal, public health and medical consequences of state abortion bans like this one. To schedule an interview contact GW Media at [email protected].
Public Health
Sara Rosenbaum, is the Emeritus Professor of Health Policy and Management, and previously served as founding Chair of the Milken Institute School of Public Health Department of Health Policy. She is a nationally recognized expert on health care access for vulnerable populations.
Julia Strasser, is the executive director of the Jacobs Institute of Women's Health and an assistant research professor of health policy and management at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health. She is an expert on reproductive health care and the abortion provider workforce.
Amita N. Vyas is an associate professor at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health and Director for the MPH Maternal and Child Health program and the Center of Excellence in Maternal and Child Health. She is an expert in health inequities and maternal morbidity.
Law
Sonia Suter is a professor of law at the George Washington University Law School and founding director of the Health Law Initiative. She is an expert on issues at the intersection of law, medicine, and bioethics, with a particular focus on reproductive rights.