Abortion in Iowa

Abortion pills by mail (telehealth)

Telehealth providers that ship abortion pills into Iowa, from the clinic database:

• A Safe ChoiceShips abortion pills by mail into Iowa
• AbuzzShips abortion pills by mail into Iowa
• Aid AccessShips abortion pills by mail into Iowa
• Cambridge Reproductive Health Consultants – The MAPShips abortion pills by mail into Iowa
• Choices RisingShips abortion pills by mail into Iowa
• Her Safe HarborShips abortion pills by mail into Iowa
• Southern WovenShips abortion pills by mail into Iowa
• We Take Care of UsShips abortion pills by mail into Iowa

Protections

• The state's lawmakers have not passed protections for abortion.

Bans

• Under current law, abortion is legal to provide until fetal cardiac activity is detected, with some exceptions. This usually happens after about the first six weeks of pregnancy. This is sometimes referred to as a "heartbeat ban."
• Healthcare professionals in the state may be allowed to provide an abortion after the state's legal limit if it is necessary to save the pregnant person's life.
• Healthcare professionals in the state may be allowed to provide an abortion after the state's legal limit if it is necessary for the pregnant person's physical health (excluding mental health).
• Healthcare professionals in the state may be allowed to provide an abortion after the state's legal limit based on the health or status of the fetus.
• Healthcare professionals in the state may be allowed to provide an abortion after the state's legal limit if the pregnancy was caused by rape or incest.

Barriers

• The state requires a person to wait 24 hours between visits before obtaining an abortion from a provider.
• The state requires a person to make 2 in-person visits before obtaining an abortion from a provider.
• The state requires healthcare professionals to perform an ultrasound, offer the patient an opportunity to view an ultrasound, or offer to perform an ultrasound before they provide an abortion.
• The state requires health care providers to give patients seeking abortion specific information prior to receiving abortion care. This information is often biased and inaccurate, and is intended to discourage abortion.
• The state only allows doctors to provide abortions.

Minors

• State law requires healthcare professionals inside the state to meet certain requirements before providing an abortion to minors below the age of 18.
• Before providing an abortion to a minor inside the state, the state requires an abortion provider to notify their parent or guardian.
• The state allows a judge to excuse a minor from having to notify or get consent from their parent or guardian before having an abortion inside the state. This is referred to as "judicial bypass."

Telehealth

• The state prohibits healthcare professionals inside the state from providing medication abortion through telehealth.

Insurance

• The state allows Medicaid funds from the state to cover abortion in cases of a serious or fatal fetal diagnosis.