Mississippi's governor has signed the nation's most restrictive abortion law - and was slapped with a lawsuit less than an hour later.
The law and responding challenge set up a confrontation sought by abortion opponents, who are hoping federal courts will ultimately prohibit abortions before a foetus is viable. Current federal law does not.
Some legal experts have said a change in the law is unlikely unless the makeup of the U.S. Supreme Court changes in a way that favours abortion opponents.
Republican Governor Phil Bryant signed House Bill 1510, which bans most abortions after 15 weeks of gestation, on Monday in a closed ceremony attended by legislative supporters and abortion opponents.
"We are saving more of the unborn than any state in America and what better thing can we do?" Mr Bryant said in a video his office posted on social media.
The law's only exceptions are if a foetus has health problems making it "incompatible with life" outside of the womb at full term, or if a pregnant woman's life or a "major bodily function" is threatened by pregnancy. Pregnancies resulting from rape and incest aren't exempted.
The state's only abortion clinic and one of the physicians who practices there sued in federal court within an hour, arguing the law violates other federal court rulings saying a state can't restrict abortion before a child can survive on its own outside the womb.
The Jackson Women's Health Organisation, in a lawsuit handled by the Centre of Reproductive Rights, argued the measure is unconstitutional and should immediately be struck down.
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