Texas immediately appealed a judge's decision to suspend its ban on abortions after 6 weeks of pregnancy

• A federal judge on Wednesday blocked the enforcement of Texas' ban on most abortions.
• The state immediately appealed the decision to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Reuters reported.
• The law bans abortions after a "fetal heartbeat" appears, before many people know they're pregnant.

The state of Texas has appealed a federal judge's decision to end its restrictive ban on abortions after six weeks, a ruling that marked a significant victory for President Joe Biden's administration over state legislatures.

US District Judge Robert Pitman on Wednesday issued a temporary suspension of the ban, which is considered the most restrictive in the US, as Insider's Azmi Haroun and Oma Seddiq reported.

Pitman wrote in his ruling that "this Court will not sanction one more day of this offensive deprivation of such an important right." The law bans abortions after the point when a "fetal heartbeat" appears, which is before many people know they're pregnant.

But Texas almost immediately issued an appeal to the ruling to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which is considered to be conservative-leaning, Reuters reported.

Pitman's ruling was the result of a lawsuit that President Joe Biden's administration brought against Texas in order to try to halt the ban, which came into effect on September 1.

The Supreme Court subsequently declined to block the legislation, which Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law in May.

Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, said in a statement on Wednesday: "Tonight's ruling is an important step forward toward restoring the constitutional rights of women across the state of Texas."

"The fight has only just begun, both in Texas and in many states across this country where women's rights are currently under attack."

US Attorney General Merrick Garland also praised Pitman's decision in a statement: "Today's ruling enjoining the Texas law is a victory for women in Texas and for the rule of law.

"It is the foremost responsibility of the Department of Justice to defend the Constitution. We will continue to protect constitutional rights against all who would seek to undermine them."