This Iowa bill establishes new rules for abortions, specifically requiring doctors to perform in-person examinations to screen for coercion before any procedure and mandating detailed informed consent for drug-based abortions. Under the new provisions, physicians must obtain a patient's signature on a federal form and provide written warnings about specific medical risks, including potential hemorrhage, sterility, and the possibility of the pregnancy continuing. The legislation also restricts the dispensing of abortion-inducing drugs to licensed healthcare settings and creates a private civil lawsuit allowing individuals to sue providers who violate these dispensing rules, while protecting the identity of women involved in such cases. Additionally, the bill defines "pregnancy" as beginning at fertilization and clarifies that these requirements do not apply in cases of medical emergencies.
This Iowa bill (HF 2332) prohibits most elective abortions after the second trimester and creates criminal penalties for "feticide" (intentionally causing fetal death during pregnancy). It defines "elective abortion" narrowly - excluding miscarriage treatment, medical emergencies, and procedures to save the mother's life - and bans knowingly performing or aiding such procedures. Feticide is classified as a felony (class C or D depending on intent), while unintentional fetal death during non-forcible crimes is a lesser offense. The law directly affects pregnant individuals seeking later-term abortions, healthcare providers, and anyone assisting in such procedures, with exceptions only for medical emergencies or preserving maternal life.
SSB 3115 requires physicians performing abortions to conduct in-person exams screening for coercion before procedures and obtain specific written patient consent about risks of abortion-inducing drugs (like mifepristone and misoprostol). It mandates doctors to inform patients about gestational risks, potential complications (such as hemorrhage or incomplete abortion), follow-up care requirements, and information on reversing chemical abortions. The bill also requires the health department to publish reversal resources online and establishes reporting standards for complications like infection or retained tissue. This bill directly affects physicians, health care providers dispensing abortion drugs, and patients seeking medication abortions in Iowa.
This bill regulates nonmedical pregnancy resource centers in Iowa, which provide pregnancy counseling without medical services or abortion referrals. It requires these centers to visibly disclose they are not licensed medical providers, include nearby hospital information in all materials, ensure ultrasounds are performed by licensed providers, and comply with HIPAA confidentiality rules. The bill terminates the existing "More Options for Maternal Support" (MOMS) program by August 2026, redirecting unspent funds to increase reimbursement rates for labor and delivery services under Iowa's medical assistance program. A $1 million appropriation for the 2026-2027 fiscal year supports this reimbursement increase.
HF 2563 requires physicians to obtain specific written consent before prescribing abortion-inducing drugs (like mifepristone or misoprostol), including confirming patients understand risks such as hemorrhage, incomplete abortion, or infection. It mandates providing the FDA patient agreement form and information about potential "reversal" of chemical abortions, along with follow-up care guidance. The bill also requires health care providers to report drug complications to the state and post reversal resources online. This directly affects physicians, clinics, and women seeking medication abortions in Iowa, adding new consent, information, and reporting obligations for chemical abortion procedures.
HF 666 defines "elective abortion" as any act intending to terminate a pregnancy with knowledge it will likely cause the death of an unborn child, excluding emergency contraception, in vitro fertilization, and certain medical treatments like miscarriage care. It creates civil penalties for abortion providers, "abortion funds" that help pay for abortions, and anyone who "aids or abets" abortions, including civil lawsuits under federal RICO laws for abortion pill distribution. The bill explicitly excludes emergency contraception (like Plan B), medical treatments for ectopic pregnancy, and miscarriage care from its restrictions. It applies to individuals and entities facilitating abortions, with penalties enforced through civil actions rather than criminal prosecution.
HF 775 requires medical facilities in Iowa performing medication abortions to post visible signs informing patients that "recent developing research" suggests medication abortions may sometimes be reversed if a patient changes their mind. It mandates physicians to obtain written patient certification confirming they’ve been informed about medication abortion risks, the potential for reversal (with time sensitivity), and resources for reversal, both before the procedure and in written discharge instructions. The bill also directs Iowa’s health department to create online materials about reversal options and prohibits dispensing mifepristone outside healthcare settings. This bill directly affects patients seeking medication abortions and healthcare providers in Iowa, focusing on information requirements rather than altering abortion access.
