Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) on Thursday signed into law a ban on abortions after the detection of heartbeat activity in the fetus, which can occur at about six weeks of pregnancy.

The so-called "heartbeat" abortion ban, the sixth of its kind to be passed in recent months, doesn't include exceptions for rape or incest.

With Edwards' signature, Louisiana joins Georgia, Mississippi, Kentucky, Ohio and Missouri in enacting such bans.

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But Edwards, who says he is "pro-life," is the first Democratic governor to sign a sweeping bill limiting abortion rights in the state.

“In 2015, I ran for governor as a pro-life candidate after serving as a pro-life legislator for eight years,” he said. “As governor, I have been true to my word and my beliefs on this issue.”

The "heartbeat" bans, as well as a separate, widespread abortion ban in Alabama, have been criticized on the national stage by abortion rights advocates and prominent Democrats, including many of those running for president.