Federal judge temporarily blocks Mississippi fetal heartbeat law News
Federal judge temporarily blocks Mississippi fetal heartbeat law

A judge for the US District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi on Friday granted preliminary injunction preventing a “fetal heartbeat” abortion law from taking effect, citing to a previous decision by the court that a fetus is not viable at 15 weeks.

The new law proposed by the Mississippi legislature introduces an abortion ban as early as six weeks.

Judge Carlton Reeves stated in the order that “If a fetus is not viable at 15 weeks, it is not viable at 6 weeks.” Further, in granting the injunction, he noted that the law “threatens immediate harm to women’s rights, especially considering most women do not seek an abortion until after 6 weeks,” and that this law would prevent freedom of choice, which is central to personal autonomy and dignity.

The injunction prevents the enactment of the new abortion law until the court has issued a ruling on the case.