Kim Reynolds / State of Iowa (Left), Adobe Stock (Right)
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican, issued a statement July 29 marking one year since the state’s heartbeat law went into effect and celebrating the fact that abortions have decreased since then.
“One year after the Fetal Heartbeat Law went into effect, abortions in Iowa are down nearly 60%,” Reynolds stated. “This is a powerful victory for life, and it’s all because Iowans and their representatives stood strong for the rights of the unborn, passing the bill not just once, but twice — and by an increasingly wide margin.”
CatholicVote previously reported that the law protects unborn life after a heartbeat can be detected, which can be as early as six weeks of pregnancy. Reynolds signed the law in 2023, but it did not take effect until 2024 due to a court ruling that temporarily froze it, local ABC and CBS affiliate KTVO reported. In June 2024, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that there is no constitutional right to abortion, lifting the stay on the law.
As CatholicVote reported, Reynolds has said the heartbeat law was instrumental in closing four of Iowa’s six Planned Parenthood facilities. According to Iowa Public Radio, state data on abortions show that there were 1,792 abortions in 2024, down from 2,771 in 2023 and 4,061 in 2022.
Reynolds added in her statement that Iowa’s commitment to being pro-life is now stronger thanks to recent initiatives like the More Options for Maternal Support (MOMS) program, which supports crisis pregnancy centers. She also praised the state for extending postpartum care for mothers on Medicaid, funding maternal health centers in rural areas, improving Medicaid rates for complex pregnancies, and passing a law that gives state employees paid parental leave.
She added, “This is what it means to be comprehensively pro-life — surrounding everyone involved in a pregnancy with love and support, promoting strong families, and intentionally building a culture of life.”
