Republicans in the state House of Representatives introduced a bill that would ban abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected.

Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-12th, and Rep. Aaron Bernstine, R-10th, joined 12 other Republicans in sponsoring the bill, which was introduced May 2 and was referred to the chamber's judiciary committee.

The legislation would require doctors to check for a fetal heartbeat before performing an abortion. Doctors would not be permitted to continue with the procedure if a heartbeat is detected, according to the proposed bill.

A similar bill was recently adopted in Iowa.

Metcalfe, reached for comment on the legislation, said he believes the bill will help convince pregnant women to forego abortions.

“I believe that life should be protected,” Metcalfe said.

He said experiences with his own family have informed his opinions on the issue.

Metcalfe said when his daughter first went to get an ultrasound while pregnant with her daughter, she sent him an audio file of the heartbeat.

He was sitting in his office in the capital when he listened to the message.

Metcalfe said it is hard for him to believe that anyone hearing such a message could want to support abortion.

If the bill gets though the committee and ultimately the Legislature, Metcalfe said it's likely that Gov. Tom Wolf would veto it, as he has with other anti-abortion legislation.

Still, Metcalfe expects to see victories on this issue in the future.

“There's many politicians, many activists, many voters across the state and nation that would like to see Roe v. Wade overturned and the lives of the unborn protected from conception,” he said.

Bernstine was not immediately available to comment.

Cranberry Bureau Chief J.W. Johnson Jr. contributed to this report.