On Friday, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals blocked the suspension of Texas' controversial abortion legislation by a US District judge earlier this week.
Federal Judge Robert Pitman had granted the request by the Department of Justice to issue a temporary restraining order against the abortion ban, which was appealed — and now won — by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Paxton has welcomed the decision on Twitter, vowing to fight further for Texas' freedom from "federal overreach".
The "heartbeat" legislation, which took effect in September, was given its name since it bans abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, i.e., when a fetal heartbeat can be detected.
The bill has sparked controversy and protests in Texas, with opponents insisting that prohibiting termination at such an early stage basically amounts to a full ban on abortion, since most women who request the procedure are usually more than six weeks pregnant.
Following the appeals court's decision, the abortion ban is now back in Texas until the US Supreme Court rules whether it is constitutional.