The lives of babies with beating hearts are now protected in Iowa following the Supreme Court's decision to lift the injunction on the Fetal Heartbeat Act. The justices ruled that the case should be sent back to the lower courts, impacting Planned Parenthood by declaring that the court has not previously determined “whether the Iowa Constitution provided an independent right to obtain an abortion.”

With this ruling, Iowa becomes the 18th state with a law protecting unborn children who have a heartbeat. The law is estimated to protect 2,093 lives annually.

Neesha Lewis, a Georgia mother and medical professional, expressed her support for Iowa’s heartbeat law. She shared her experience of considering an abortion when she became unexpectedly pregnant but was informed that her state had a heartbeat limit. With assistance from a pregnancy center, she pursued an open adoption. “I am so happy that babies in Iowa will now be protected by a heartbeat law. Georgia’s heartbeat law saved my beautiful son’s life, and now in Iowa, more babies like mine will be given the chance at life,” said Lewis.

Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser also celebrated the decision: “Iowa took a giant step forward today in the human rights struggle to protect babies in the womb. The Fetal Heartbeat Act protects 2,093 lives annually at the point in pregnancy when unborn children have over a 90% chance of surviving.”

Today’s decision follows one year after the state Supreme Court prevented Iowa’s pre-Dobbs heartbeat protection from taking effect. Following this earlier ruling, Gov. Kim Reynolds called a special session to pass a new heartbeat law. Days after Reynolds signed the Fetal Heartbeat Act, a judge blocked it with an injunction.

Gov. Reynolds has signed additional pro-life legislation this year aimed at supporting those with unplanned pregnancies. These measures include SF 2251, which extends Medicaid for new mothers to one year after giving birth, and SF 2252, which allows partnerships between the Department of Health and Human Services and pregnancy resource centers.

Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America is a network of more than one million pro-life Americans dedicated to ending abortion by electing national leaders and advocating for laws that save lives.