Georgia is the fourth state to pass a
A controversial bill making abortion illegal at as little as six weeks into a pregnancy has become law in the US state of Georgia.
The so-called “heartbeat law” bans termination as soon as a foetal heartbeat can be detected, which can be as early as six weeks, before some women even know they are pregnant.
Georgia, where women can currently seek an abortion during the first 20 weeks of a pregnancy, is the fourth US state to pass such a law in 2019, along with Mississippi, Kentucky and Ohio.
The measure, HB 481, makes exceptions in the case of rape and incest but only if the woman files a police report first.
If the mother’s life is at risk, termination is also permitted, and the legislation allows for abortions when a foetus is determined not to be viable because of serious medical issues.
After signing the bill into law, Georgia’s Republican governor Brian Kemp it would “ensure that all Georgians have the opportunity to live, grow, learn and prosper in our great state”.
