Iowa legal term
Abortion in Iowa Criminal Law
Current through 2026 Iowa legislative session
In Iowa criminal law, “Abortion” is a term defined by statute rather than by its everyday meaning. Its statutory definition — quoted verbatim below — controls how the term is applied throughout the Iowa criminal code.
What does “Abortion” mean in Iowa criminal law?
“Abortion” means abortion as defined in section 146.1. b. “Fetus” means a human fetus. c. “Partial-birth abortion” means an abortion in which a person partially vaginally delivers a living fetus before killing the fetus and completing the delivery. d. “Vaginally delivers a living fetus before killing the fetus” means deliberately and intentionally delivering into the vagina a living fetus or a substantial portion of a living fetus for the purpose of performing a procedure the person knows will kill the fetus, and then killing the fetus. 2. (Iowa Code § 707.8A)
Statutes defining or using this term
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.