On Wednesday, Stacey Abrams, who is currently running as the Democratic candidate for Georgia governor, said that fetal heartbeats at six weeks are "manufactured" sounds used so men can "take control" of women's bodies.
Abrams, who is running against incumbent Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, made the remarks during an event at the Ray Charles Performing Arts Center in Atlanta on Wednesday.
"There is no such thing as a heartbeat at six weeks," Abrams told the audience. "It is a manufactured sound designed to convince people that men have the right to take control of a woman's body."
According to Fox News, Abrams' comments seemed to take a shot at Georgia's six-week abortion ban, which was passed after the Supreme Court overturned Roe V. Wade in June.
The legislation – titled the Living Infants Fairness and Equality (Life) Act – prohibits abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected. Fetal heartbeats can be found as early as six weeks of pregnancy.
Exceptions to the law are made for rape and incest, provided a police report is filed.
It also allows women to seek abortions later in pregnancy in the case of a medical emergency, such as the mother's life being at risk or the fetus being rendered unviable due to a severe medical condition.
While the law was initially passed in 2019, a federal judge ruled it unconstitutional and blocked it. However, a federal appeals court later overturned the lower court's ruling, allowing the law to officially take effect on July 20, 2022.
Abrams considered herself pro-life until she first pursued public office at 30 years old.
During an appearance on The View last week, Abrams was asked whether she would support limitations on abortion access. In response, the gubernatorial candidate contended that a woman should be able to terminate her pregnancy up to the point of birth if her "health or life" is at risk.
Photo courtesy: ©Getty Images/Joe Raedle/Staff
Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for CrosswalkHeadlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.
