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Supreme Court orders Missouri abortion law back on the books

By Adam Allington, KWMU

St. Louis, MO – In the wake of last week's Supreme Court ruling banning certain abortion procedures, the nation's high court has ordered that a 1999 Missouri law be put back on the books.

A federal judge placed an injunction on the law shortly after it was passed because of language that only allowed so-called "partial birth" abortions if a woman's life is in danger.

Paula Gianino, president of Planned Parenthood in St. Louis, said the law left women exposed to other non-life-threatening health risks.

"What was so striking about Missouri's law that was passed in 1999, and why the courts stopped it, was because it did not contain an exception or protection if a woman's health was jeopardized," Gianino said.

A federal appeals court upheld the injunction in 2005 because the law did not consider the the health of a pregnant woman.

Now that injunction will likely be lifted sometime in May, allowing the law to be enforced.

Planned Parenthood says doctors will now have to approach a court to get permission before performing abortions after the first trimester.

Last week's Supreme Court ruling could affect similar injunctions in Virgina, Utah and Michigan.

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