Iowa court blocks 3-day waiting period for abortion

DES MOINES, Iowa – The Iowa Supreme Court has temporarily blocked part of a new state law that requires a woman to wait three days before getting an abortion.

The court granted a motion Monday that extends an injunction on the 72-hour waiting period until a lawsuit challenging the provision is resolved.

A district court judge recently upheld the waiting period. It is part of a law approved this year in the Republican-controlled Legislature that bans most abortions in the state after 20 weeks of pregnancy. The 20-week ban is in effect and is not a part of the legal challenge by Planned Parenthood of the Heartland and the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa.

Gov. Kim Reynolds is named in the lawsuit. Her office says it doesn’t comment on pending litigation.