JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The bill to ban fetal heartbeat abortion will go to the Missouri House next.
The rules committee met Thursday morning.
HB 126 would require the use of a fetal heartbeat detection test prior to an abortion and prohibits an abortion if a fetal heartbeat is detected.
According to bill documents, supporters believe that this bill is necessary to save unborn children and protect women from making choices that they can regret for their entire lives.
Those who oppose the bill believe that prohibiting abortion at heartbeat detection limits the ability of women to exercise choice since many are not aware they are pregnant that early, are not able to get to an abortion clinic so soon, and most fetal abnormalities are not detectable until later in pregnancy.