The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Iowa filed a lawsuit against Gov. Kim Reynolds and other state officials March 30 on behalf of Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, along with the Emma Goldman Clinic, over Reynolds’ temporary suspension of surgical abortion services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Abortion is an essential, time-sensitive medical procedure, as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology have recognized,” said Erin Davison-Rippey, Iowa Executive Director of Planned Parenthood in a statement. “We are in a critical moment for our state when we must come together to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, not politicize health care services that are constitutionally protected. Iowans are doing all they can to protect their families and communities during this pandemic, and Planned Parenthood is focused on providing our patients with crucial services they need.”

Reynolds signed a proclamation March 26 suspending all “nonessential or elective surgeries and procedures” in order to preserve personal protective equipment for health care providers as the number of cases of the disease caused by the novel of coronavirus continues to grow day-after-day in Iowa. A spokesman for Reynolds confirmed to the Daily surgical abortions were included among those “nonessential or elective surgeries and procedures.”

Another Planned Parenthood official criticized Reynolds’ decision to include surgical abortions as part of those “nonessential or elective surgeries and procedures.” President and CEO of Planned Parenthood North Central States Sarah Stoesz said in a statement the governor’s move to take on a “political fight” during a global pandemic is not only “misguided” but also “dangerous.”

“As a trusted member of Iowa’s health care community since 1934, Planned Parenthood is deeply committed to protecting public health during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Stoesz said in the statement. “We put the health of our patients and communities at the forefront every single day.”

The ACLU, the Abortion Care Network, the Center for Reproductive Rights, Planned Parenthood Federation of America and ACOG hosted a joint press call March 30.

“It is an incredibly concerning day when states would impose penalties on physicians when they are seeking to deliver care,” said Skye Perryman, general counsel for ACOG, on the call.

The petitioners called for “emergency temporary injunctive relief, as well as permanent injunctive relief” to prevent state officials from enforcing the section of Reynolds’ proclamation, which they say would “effectively ban abortion by procedure,” according to court filings.