Controversial anti-abortion bill sparks fury in U.S. state of Iowa

WASHINGTON, May 4 (Xinhua) -- A bill dubbed the country's "most restrictive abortion ban" went into effect Friday in the U.S. state of Iowa, sparking fury among women's right activists who slammed the measure as "an embarrassment."

The bill, officially called File 359 but commonly known as "the heartbeat bill," dictates that a woman is prohibited to have an abortion after a heartbeat is detected in her womb, usually six weeks after pregnancy.

The bill puts Iowa, a mostly rural state in the midwest that famously swings in elections, in the forefront of restricting abortions.

Citing her faith, presumably Christianity, State Governor Kim Reynolds said the bill was "about life" and it was "immoral to stop an innocent beating heart."

Pregnancies caused by rape or incest are not protected by the bill.

The conservatives' effort to restrict abortions is part of a bigger picture countrywide where anti-abortion activists are pushing for tougher legislation to protect fetuses. The State of Mississippi has banned abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, and the State of Kentucky 11.

But the Iowan bill has still met stiff opposition, with critics saying many women are not even aware that they are pregnant at six weeks.

"Today's actions to ban abortion are an embarrassment to Iowa and they will remain a blemish on our state for the foreseeable future," advocacy group Planned Parenthood Voters of Iowa said in a statement.

Reynolds said in a statement that she recognizes the controversy, and expects lawsuits to follow. But like many other conservative politicians, she hopes to find friends in the Supreme Court, where U.S. President Donald Trump has installed a conservative bench after coming to power. Enditem