In 2017, a lawsuit was filed by Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa and Planned Parenthood Federation of America, to fight a medically unnecessary 72-hour mandatory delay forcing patients to make two visits to their clinic to receive abortion care. Today, the Supreme Court of Iowa struck down the 72-hour waiting period.
In response, Physicians for Reproductive Health’s board member Dr. Jill Meadows, a co-plaintiff in the case, released the following statement:
“Today we are able to move forward in improving access to reproductive health, rights, and justice for the women and families of Iowa. Last year, politicians in our state attempted to restrict patients from getting the safe, legal abortion care they rightfully deserve by passing a medically unnecessary 72-hour waiting period.
This restriction would not have protected my patients, it would only have put their health in jeopardy.
“I am grateful that the Supreme Court of Iowa recognized that requiring patients to make two visits to receive one very safe medical procedure would have been dangerously burdensome and harmed my patients, particularly those who already face the most barriers accessing health care: low-income women, women of color, and immigrant women. This restriction would not have protected my patients, it would only have put their health in jeopardy.
“Access to abortion care should not depend on your zip code – everyone is entitled to reproductive health care that includes abortion.
“I urge our legislators to stand with women, not against them, and work to improve access to health care by removing additional burdensome and medically unjustified barriers to abortion.”
