South Carolina’s recent abortion ban has been temporarily blocked by a state judge, adding fuel to the ongoing debate surrounding reproductive rights in the United States.

The ban, which would prohibit abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, was signed into law earlier this week. However, plaintiffs from Planned Parenthood and the Center for Reproductive Rights immediately filed a lawsuit against the ban and requested an emergency injunction.

State Judge Mary Geiger Lewis granted the injunction, stating that the “standard set forth by the United States Supreme Court” must be followed. This decision comes after several other states, including Georgia, Ohio, and Kentucky, have recently enacted similar six-week abortion bans that have been met with legal challenges.

The debate surrounding abortion rights in the U.S. has intensified in recent years, with conservative lawmakers seeking to restrict access to the procedure and advocates fighting to protect reproductive rights. The temporary block of South Carolina’s ban is seen as a victory for pro-choice advocates, although the legal battle is far from over.

In related news, Republicans in North Carolina are pushing for a 12-week abortion ban, which some experts see as a precursor to a larger effort to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide in 1973. Meanwhile, in South Carolina, Planned Parenthood is suing to stop the state’s “heartbeat” abortion restrictions, which they argue are unconstitutional and could severely limit access to abortion services.