Planned Parenthood and the ACLU of Iowa filed a lawsuit Tuesday to strike down a state law that bans abortions after six weeks, the strictest abortion ban in the nation.
The lawsuit said the six-week ban is “blatantly unconstitutional” and is extremely harmful to women. The groups add that some women don’t even know they are pregnant after six weeks.
“This abortion ban is beyond extreme” said Rita Bettis, legal director for the ACLU of Iowa. “With it, Iowa politicians have tried to ban virtually all abortions for women in our state.”
[Related: Roe v. Wade at 45: States chip away at abortion laws]
Republican Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed the ban into law this month. It will make Iowa the most restrictive state in the union for abortions.
The bill requires doctors to conduct an ultrasound to determine whether there is a fetal heartbeat, which can be detected at roughly six weeks. The ban is set to go into effect July 1.
Democratic Attorney General Tom Miller said on Tuesday he will not represent the state in the lawsuit. Miller could not represent the state due to his belief the law would harm women if enacted.
Other states have tried to impose abortion bans but not as soon as six weeks into a pregnancy. For instance, Mississippi passed a 15-week ban in March, but a judge has put it on hold pending a court ruling.
