A U.S. federal court on Tuesday blocked a strict Georgia law against abortion that sparked an outcry earlier this year, saying it went against U.S. Supreme Court's rulings. 

The law, passed in May by the state of Georgia and due to come into force on January 1, 2020, would ban abortions as soon as a fetus's heartbeat can be detected.

This usually occurs around the sixth week of pregnancy, when many women don't even know they are pregnant, effectively banning abortions altogether, critics say.

The judge stayed the law's implementation, arguing that it contradicted a landmark 1973 Supreme Court ruling that found that women have a constitutional right to abortion.

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"The court recognized today that this law is blatantly unconstitutional and a clear attempt to overturn Roe v. Wade," said Emily Nestler, senior staff attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights, referring to the 1973 decision.

Candice Broce, a spokeswoman for Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, however insisted: "Despite today's outcome, we remain confident in our position. We will continue to fight for the unborn and work to ensure that all Georgians have the opportunity to live, grow, and prosper."

Abortion opponents stepped up their efforts to get a case before the Supreme Court earlier this year, in hopes that new conservative justices appointed by President Donald Trump would hand down a ruling restricting access to the procedure.

Several southern and Midwestern states passed laws similar to Georgia's. But courts struck down new abortion laws passed by Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky and Mississippi.

Georgia, a popular shooting location for movies and television series, faced a backlash after it passed its law, with several entertainment giants including Disney, Netflix and Warner Studios threatening to cut ties with the state if the measure came into effect.

(With input from AFP, Reuters)