Block on fetal heartbeat abortion bill

A federal circuit court of appeals upheld a ban on Mississippi’s 2019 abortion law Thursday.

- - a federal circuit court of- appeals upheld a ban on - mississippi's 20-19 - abortion law thursday.- that law forbids abortion after- a fetal heartbeat is detected.- that can happen as early as six- weeks into pregnancy.

- thursday, the three-judge panel- affirmed a lower court's- ruling that the mississippi law- unconstitutionally prohibited - pre-viability abortions.- the 19-73 supreme court decisio- roe versus wade - legalizes abortion for fetuses- that are not considered - viable.

- viability generally occurs at - about 24 weeks of - pregnancy.- a district court initially- blocked mississippi's law in- may.- it is one of several states tha- passed highly - restrictive abortion bans --- known as "heartbeat bills" -- last