Just Earth News | @justearthnews | 01 Sep 2021, 06:20 am Print
Representative Image (Credit: Pixabay)
A law banning abortion from six weeks of pregnancy has come into effect in United States' Texas, according to media reports.
The new law prohibits abortions after detection of what anti-abortion campaigners call a foetal heartbeat, according to a BBC report.
The law came into effect after an emergency plea by abortion providers was not responded to by Supreme Court.
According to medical authorities, the demand of prohibiting abortions from as early as six weeks on the claims of detection of foetal heartbeat is misleading.
The law has been heavily criticised by doctors and women's rights groups.
The so-called "Heartbeat Act" was signed into law by Texas Governor Greg Abbott in May, the BBC report stated.
But rights groups, including Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), appealed to the Supreme Court to block the legislation.
ACLU said almost 90% of abortions in Texas take place after six weeks of pregnancy and called the development "unconstitutional".
Planned Parenthood, the US women's health group, said it would not give up the fight against the law, asserting that "everyone deserves access to abortion".
The Supreme Court can overturn the ban at a later stage, according to the BBC report.
- American inmate's wife to receive $5.6 million in settlement after she was sexually assaulted during strip search
- China: 19-year-old woman decides to end her life after she was forced forcefully engaged to a man
- Meet a Hindu woman doctor who creates history by filing nomination for Pakistan general polls
- UNAMA report says Afghan women face prison in Taliban-ruled nation
- Pakistan remains one of the most dangerous countries for women
