{"id":165683,"date":"2017-05-05T12:59:11","date_gmt":"2017-05-05T16:59:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=165683"},"modified":"2017-05-05T20:28:12","modified_gmt":"2017-05-06T00:28:12","slug":"iowa-gov-terry-branstad-signs-bill-banning-abortions-20-weeks-law","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/iowa-gov-terry-branstad-signs-bill-banning-abortions-20-weeks-law\/","title":{"rendered":"Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad signs bill banning abortions after 20 weeks into law"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad signed a bill into law Friday banning abortions after\u00a020 weeks,\u00a0when science has determined that preborn children can feel pain.<\/span><\/p>\n

Senate File 471, which passed the Iowa House and Senate last month, bans abortions at\u00a020 weeks and implements\u00a0a three-day waiting period before women can undergo abortions. It does not allow exceptions for rape and incest; however, it does permit abortions in cases when a mother’s life or health is at risk.<\/p>\n

Pro-life groups praised the move, calling it a bold step toward the prohibition of late-term abortions.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter a years-long battle to gain a pro-life Senate, Iowa finally succeeded in passing life-saving legislation that bans painful late-term abortions,\u201d said Jenifer Bowen, president of Life Right Action, in a statement. \u201cOur state was previously one of the most permissive on abortion, allowing abortion on-demand well beyond five months, more than halfway through pregnancy.\u201d<\/p>\n

The United States, which has some of the most lax abortion laws in the world, is only one of\u00a0seven countries<\/span>\u00a0that permit abortions past 20 weeks \u2014 among which are North Korea and China.\u00a0<\/span>President Donald Trump has vowed that he will pass the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which prohibits abortions federally after five months.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List, praised Gov. Branstad’s move and encouraged other states to follow suit:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMomentum is building to enact a national ban on late-term abortion,”\u00a0Dannenfelser said. “We are encouraged by Iowa\u2019s bold move and look forward to the day when all unborn children are protected under the law.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Former abortionist Dr. Anthony Levatino describes two of the most prevalent abortion procedures committed after 20 weeks. The D&E procedure, which tears a preborn child apart limb from torso, is committed during the second trimester. An induction abortion, during which a woman gives birth to a stillborn child, is committed during the third trimester.<\/p>\n