A federal judge in Mississippi on Friday blocked a state law that prohibited abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected, around six weeks into pregnancy. U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves said in the ruling that the law “prevents a woman’s free choice, which is central to personal dignity and autonomy.”
“S.B. 2116 threatens immediate harm to women’s rights, especially considering most women do not seek abortion services until after 6 weeks. Allowing the law to take effect would force the clinic to stop providing most abortion care,” Reeves wrote.
Reeves, an Obama-appointed judge, also struck down Mississippi’s 15-week ban late last year. The so-called “fetal heartbeat” bills ban an abortion as soon as six weeks, which is before many women know they are pregnant.
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