Earlier this year a judge overturned North Dakota's "heartbeat bill" that effectively prohibited abortions after six weeks of pregnancy when a heartbeat can be detected. North Dakota's Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem announced today that the state plans to appeal the ruling.

“The Legislature passed the law in hopes that a higher court would revisit the issue,” Stenehjem said. “It seems prudent that an appellate court should have an opportunity to consider the issue rather than have one judge overturn the judgment of the Legislative Assembly.”

North Dakota is home to a single abortion clinic, located in Fargo.

Heartbeat bills are a source of contention in the pro-life community, as they are unconstitutional under the Roe v. Wade decision.