South Carolina Passes Abortion Ban, Planned Parenthood Sues

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster on Thursday signed into law a ban on almost all abortions in the state and the women’s health group Planned Parenthood followed with a lawsuit, arguing the measure was unconstitutional.

As one of the most restrictive 🏥Abortion bans, the so-called “fetal heartbeat” law bans 🏥Abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected, often at six weeks and before a woman realizes she is pregnant.

🏥Abortion is one of the most divisive issues in the United States, with opponents citing religious belief to declare it immoral, and proponents declaring it a women’s health and privacy issue, among other arguments.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1973 that the constitution protected a pregnant women’s right to an 🏥Abortion.

Various states have passed restrictions on abortions including those similar to South Carolina and most are still tied up in the courts. A law passed in Iowa in 2018 was overturned by a state judge in 2019.

“It is undisputed that such cardiac activity is detectable well in advance of the fetus becoming viable,” District Court Judge Michael Huppert wrote in his decision.

A fetus that is viable outside the womb, usually at 24 weeks, is widely considered the threshold in the United States to prohibit