Tennessee abortion ban goes into effect
Tennessee’s ban on abortion starting at around six weeks of pregnancy has gone into effect after a federal court removed an injunction blocking the law in 2020.
The law prohibits the procedure after a fetal heartbeat can be detected and if the providers knows the woman is seeking an abortion due to the fetus's sex or race or due to a Down syndrome diagnosis.
The only exception is if the woman's life is in danger.
“This is just the beginning,” Rabia Muqaddam, senior staff attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights -- one of the groups that filed a lawsuit that initially blocked the law -- said in a statement.
She continued, “We will continue to see many, many states ban abortion, creating huge abortion deserts in parts of this country resulting in serious harm to people and their families. We will do everything we can to maintain as much abortion access in Tennessee as possible -- for as long as possible.”
Tennessee is one of at least 13 states that have ceased nearly all abortion services.