{"id":2434930,"date":"2025-05-15T08:39:57","date_gmt":"2025-05-15T12:39:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/s-carolina-court-saves-heartbeat-law-from-planned-parenthood\/"},"modified":"2025-05-15T08:40:56","modified_gmt":"2025-05-15T12:40:56","slug":"s-carolina-court-saves-heartbeat-law-from-planned-parenthood","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/s-carolina-court-saves-heartbeat-law-from-planned-parenthood\/","title":{"rendered":"S. Carolina Court Saves Heartbeat Law From Planned Parenthood"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fs-carolina-court-saves-heartbeat-law-from-planned-parenthood%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2434930&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Planned Parenthood&#8217;s attempt to amend South Carolina&#8217;s abortion accessibility laws was unsuccessful, as the state Supreme Court upheld its heartbeat law, which prohibits abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected, typically around six weeks of pregnancy.The institution argued that the law&#8217;s wording allowed abortions up to nine weeks but failed to convince the court.The court found the language of the law ambiguous but noted that Planned Parenthood had previously referred to it as a &#8220;Six-Week Ban&#8221; in its legal documents. Despite their claims of needing access to abortion until nine weeks, the court reiterated that the intent of the law was to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/texas-heartbeat-bill-takes-effect-with-scotus-approval\/\" title=\"Texas ... bill takes effect with SCOTUS approval\">protect unborn children<\/a> with detectable heartbeats. Pro-life advocates celebrated the decision, emphasizing its alignment with scientific understanding of fetal progress and the protection of lives.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Planned Parenthood&rsquo;s third attempt to expand its South Carolina customer base via three extra weeks to buy an <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/05\/13\/annual-report-planned-parenthood-aborted-more-babies-than-ever-got-more-taxpayer-cash-than-ever\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">abortion<\/a> failed this week. The state Supreme Court ruled South Carolina can keep its heartbeat law as it currently stands, protecting babies from <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/05\/06\/exclusive-see-the-airtight-methodology-showing-11-of-pill-abortions-cause-maternal-injury\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">abortion<\/a> after the earliest detectable heartbeat &mdash; usually around six weeks of pregnancy.<\/p>\n<p>The heartbeat <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scstatehouse.gov\/sess125_2023-2024\/bills\/474.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">law<\/a> itself does not specify how many weeks into pregnancy an <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/05\/12\/wapo-fact-checker-abortion-pills-high-injury-rate-is-no-big-deal-because-it-has-a-warning-label\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">abortion<\/a> is allowed in relation to the heartbeat. It simply reads, &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/05\/05\/missouri-activists-use-abortion-amendment-to-target-parental-consent-protections-for-minors\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Abortions<\/a> may not be performed in this state after a fetal heartbeat has been detected,&rdquo; with certain exceptions.<\/p>\n<p>Planned Parenthood South Atlantic went to court to argue the heartbeat law&rsquo;s language is not clear. The <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/05\/07\/report-health-centers-that-care-for-women-outnumber-planned-parenthood-by-15-to-1\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">abortion<\/a> giant interprets it to mean <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/05\/02\/media-blackout-on-abortion-pill-study-proves-they-never-cared-about-amber-thurmans-death\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">abortion<\/a> should be allowed up to nine weeks of pregnancy across the board because by that time, all four chambers of the heart are formed.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/law.justia.com\/cases\/south-carolina\/supreme-court\/2025\/28280.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">court said<\/a> it considered the single question, &ldquo;at what point in a woman&rsquo;s pregnancy does a &lsquo;fetal heartbeat&rsquo; occur,&rdquo; as it is defined in the Heartbeat Law.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The court relied on this definition of fetal heartbeat: &ldquo;Cardiac activity, or the steady and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/klobuchar-on-abortion-solution-for-so-many-things-is-abolishing-the-filibuster\/\" title=\"Klobuchar On ...: Solution For \u2018So Many\u2019 Things Is Abolishing The Filibuster\">repetitive rhythmic contraction<\/a> of the fetal heart, within the gestational sac,&rdquo; and in its decision, it agreed the language is not precise. &nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, because <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/04\/02\/u-s-supreme-court-hears-south-carolinas-defense-for-defunding-planned-parenthood\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Planned Parenthood<\/a> has been to court over this matter so often, its own words sank its case. &nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;When Planned Parenthood sought the initial injunction in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-announces-new-legal-team-for-impeachment-defense-after-previous-team-collapsed\/\" title=\"Trump Announces New Legal Team For Impeachment Defense After Previous Team Collapsed\">federal district court<\/a> in 2021, Planned Parenthood itself referred to the 2021 [Heartbeat] Act in its motion to the court as a &lsquo;Six-Week Ban,&rsquo;&rdquo; the decision said. The decision went on to describe many times Planned Parenthood called the current law a &ldquo;six week ban.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;In fact, Planned Parenthood &mdash; which now contends a &lsquo;fetal heartbeat&rsquo; does not occur under the 2023 Act until after nine weeks of pregnancy&mdash;has not cited to us even one instance in which it, the State, or a Justice of this Court referred to the identical 2021&nbsp; definition of &lsquo;fetal&nbsp; heartbeat&rsquo; as anything other than the point in time that marks an approximately six-week ban,&rdquo; the decision reads. &nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>According to footnotes in the decision, Planned Parenthood used the phrase &ldquo;Six-Week Ban&rdquo; more than 300 times in its various filings, before filing the case arguing for nine weeks of <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/03\/24\/malpractice-lawsuit-woman-hospitalized-after-abortionist-left-baby-body-parts-in-her-abdomen\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">abortion<\/a> access.<\/p>\n<p>The decision also notes that the South Carolina General Assembly&rsquo;s intent in the heartbeat law comes from a finding that a &ldquo;fetal heartbeat is a key medical predictor that an unborn child will reach live birth.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The court also looked at heartbeat laws in other states that are &ldquo;universally understood to ban <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/03\/21\/pro-life-house-republicans-could-repeal-the-face-act-today-but-they-hesitate\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">abortions<\/a> at approximately six weeks of pregnancy.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Planned Parenthood has failed in attempting to rewrite the science of human development to further their agenda for more <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/03\/11\/congress-has-a-chance-to-defund-planned-parenthood-heres-why-the-gop-should-take-it\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">abortions<\/a> and more profit,&rdquo; SBA Pro-Life America Political Director Caitlin Connors said in a statement. &ldquo;The level of science denial from this <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/01\/23\/democrats-confirm-abortion-extremism-by-blocking-protections-for-babies-born-alive-after-botched-abortions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">abortion <\/a>giant that receives $800 million in taxpayer funding annually should astound South Carolinians who overwhelmingly re-elected Gov. Henry McMaster and state Republicans after they enacted the heartbeat law. We celebrate that the justices saw through Planned Parenthood&rsquo;s charade and upheld the law that protects 4,829 lives annually.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>      Beth Brelje is an elections correspondent for The Federalist. She is an <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >award-winning investigative journalist<\/a> with decades of media experience.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Planned Parenthood&#8217;s bid for a three-week abortion extension in SC failed; the Supreme Court upheld the heartbeat law, banning abortions after six weeks<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":104,"featured_media":2434931,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/South_Carolina_State_House_Columbia_Southeast_view_20160702_1_edited.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[32868,35509,55284,37662,55283],"class_list":["post-2434930","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-abortion-rights","tag-court-decision","tag-heartbeat-law","tag-planned-parenthood","tag-s-carolina"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/South_Carolina_State_House_Columbia_Southeast_view_20160702_1_edited.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2434930","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/104"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2434930"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2434930\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2434934,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2434930\/revisions\/2434934"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2434931"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2434930"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2434930"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2434930"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}