Mississippi's lone abortion clinic came out the winner as a federal judge ruled on Tuesday that an abortion law enacted in the state earlier this year violates the constitutional rights of women.
U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves issued the ruling, stating that Mississippi's law, which bans most abortions after 15-weeks gestation, is in violation of the U.S. Supreme Court's 1973 ruling, the Associated Press reports.
"The record is clear: States may not ban abortions prior to viability," Reeves said.
Mississippi's law was enacted March 19, 2018, when governor Phil Bryant signed the bill, prompting the state's single abortion clinic to file a lawsuit. Reeves issued a restraining order the next day to prevent the state from enforcing the law.
At the time Bryant signed the bill, Mississippi's law, known as House Bill 1510, was the most restrictive in the United States. It bans most abortions after 15 weeks except in the case of a medical emergency or a health condition that leaves the fetus "incompatible with life" outside the womb at full term. The law does not allow for an abortion in the case of rape or incest.
Before signing the bill, Bryant regularly said he wanted Mississippi to be the safest place in the country for an unborn child. He also said that abortion bans are meant to protect a woman's health.
Read more: Ohio is considering a bill that could see abortions punishable by death
Prior to HB 1510, Mississippi was among states with the strictest laws in regard to abortion, only allowing the procedure prior to 20 weeks gestation.
In the ruling, Reeves said that the Mississippi Legislature's interest in women's health is "pure gaslighting," citing Mississippi's lack of Medicaid expansion and high infant mortality rates.
In 2017, Mississippi ranked first in the nation for infant mortality with 8.8 deaths per 1,000 births. Neighboring Alabama was the only other state to rate over an 8. The national average for 2017 was 5.9.
"Our victory today means that women in Mississippi will maintain the ability to make their own decisions about whether and when to terminate a pregnancy. Today's decision should be a wake-up call for state lawmakers who are continuously trying to chip away at abortion access. Such bans will not stand in a court of law," Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights, said in a statement.
The Center for Reproductive Rights assisted the Mississippi Abortion Clinic with the case.
Ohio recently passed a House bill, known as the Heartbeat Bill, that will restrict abortion after six weeks. Some Republicans in the state are now advocating for a permanent ban on abortions. Those who undergo the procedure could be sentenced to life in prison or even the death penalty.
Iowa passed a law in May that restricts abortion once a heartbeat is detected, however, the law was blocked by a judge in June.
The United States Senate tried to pass a 20-week abortion bill in January, but the vote failed 51 to 46.
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