‘Heartbeat’ abortion ban to be debated in Missouri Senate

(AP) Missouri senators are set to take up one of the nation’s most restrictive proposed abortion bans.

The Republican-led Senate is expected to consider legislation to ban most abortions after eight weeks of pregnancy before lawmakers’ Friday deadline to pass bills.

The only exception would be in cases of medical emergencies, not rape or incest.

If approved, Missouri would join four other states that have passed bans on abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected. That can occur about six weeks into a pregnancy.

The Missouri bill comes as abortion opponents across the U.S. push for new restrictions in hopes that the more conservative U.S. Supreme Court will overturn its landmark Roe v. Wade ruling legalizing abortion.

The Missouri measure also includes a near-total ban on abortion, but that would only kick in if Roe v. Wade is overturned.