South Carolina abortion appellate hearing moved to January

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - Appellate arguments over a lawsuit challenging South Carolina’s abortion law have been pushed into the new year.

The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals says oral arguments have been rescheduled for the last week in January. They had originally been planned for next month.

Planned Parenthood is suing South Carolina over the measure that requires doctors to perform ultrasounds to check for a so-called “fetal heartbeat.”

If detected, the abortion can only be performed if the pregnancy was caused by rape or incest, or if the mother’s life is in danger.

Opponents argue many women don’t know they are pregnant at six weeks.

Medical experts say the cardiac activity isn’t a heartbeat but rather an initial flutter of electric activity within an embryo’s cells.

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