Minnesota Fetal Heartbeat Abortion Ban (HF 4524)

HF 4524 would prohibit the performance of an abortion from the time a fetus has a detectable heartbeat, except in the case of a medical emergency.

A fetal heartbeat can be detected as early as six weeks of pregnancy—two weeks after a woman’s first missed period—and well before many women even realize that they are pregnant.

Except in the case of a medical emergency, the bill would require a physician to first test a pregnant person to determine if a fetal heartbeat is detectable before performing an abortion. In testing for a detectable heartbeat, the physician would be required to perform an abdominal ultrasound.

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