South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, speaks before former President Donald J. Trump at the Boeing South Carolina faculty in North Charleston, South Carolina, on February 17, 2017. He signed a six-week abortion plan in the state on Thursday. File Photo by Stephen Morton/EPA

The law provides for exceptions due to rape or incest, during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, medical emergencies, or fatal fetal anomalies.

“With my signature, the Fetal Heartbeat and Protection from Abortion Act is now law and will begin saving the lives of unborn children immediately,” McMaster said in a statement. “This is a great day for life in South Carolina, but the fight is not over. We stand ready to defend this legislation against any challenges and are confident we will succeed.”

Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, the Greenville Women’s Clinic and two physician-plaintiffs filed a lawsuit in state court shortly after the signing. The plaintiffs said the state’s Supreme Court recently blocked a similar measure that put the abortion ban at four weeks.

“State lawmakers have once again trampled on our right to make private health care decisions, ignoring warnings from health care providers and precedent set by the state’s highest court just a few months ago,” Planned Parenthood South Atlantic President and CEO Jenny Black said in a statement.

“The decision of if, when, and how to have a child is deeply personal, and politicians making that decision for anyone else is government overreach of the highest order. We will always fight for our patients’ ability to make their own decisions about their bodies and access the health care they need. We urge the court to take swift action to block this dangerous ban on abortion,” she continued.

South Carolina is just another in numerous states around the country led by Republican legislatures that have toughened their restrictions on abortions since the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe vs. Wade nearly a year ago.