Court weighs fate of sweeping Missouri abortion restrictions

O'FALLON, Mo. (AP) — A federal appeals court panel is weighing the fate of a sweeping Missouri abortion law, including a provision that prohibits a woman from having an abortion because the fetus has Down syndrome.

A three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis heard arguments Thursday in the legal battle over the 2019 measure that bans abortions at or after eight weeks of pregnancy.

Most of the court hearing dealt with a provision that bans abortions involving a fetus with Down syndrome.

A ruling isn’t expected for several weeks.