The Iowa Supreme Court has agreed to a temporary hold on implementing parts of a new state law that require a woman to wait three days before getting an abortion.
The court granted a motion Monday that extends an injunction on the 72-hour waiting period until a lawsuit challenging the provision is resolved.
A district court judge recently upheld the waiting period.
It is part of a law approved this year in the Iowa Legislature that bans most abortions in the state after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
The 20-week ban is in effect and is not a part of the legal challenge by Planned Parenthood of the Heartland and the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa.
The groups say the waiting provision, which requires an additional clinic visit prior to an abortion, is unconstitutional.
