NEWS

Planned Parenthood plans to offer abortions at clinics in Springfield and Joplin

Will Schmitt
WSCHMITT@NEWS-LEADER.COM
The Planned Parenthood building in Springfield is located on Battlefield Road.

JEFFERSON CITY — Planned Parenthood is preparing to offer abortions in Springfield and Joplin following a favorable decision from a federal judge, though top Missouri Republicans are vowing to keep fighting.

The health care organization, which provides abortions at its St. Louis clinic, touted the opinion of Judge Howard Sachs, who granted Planned Parenthood's request for an injunction blocking two abortion-related rules.

These rules, relating to ambulatory surgical center (ASC) regulations and requirements for doctors to have certain privileges with nearby hospitals, are similar to those in Texas that the U.S. Supreme Court struck down last year. Planned Parenthood has argued that the rules are onerous and medically unnecessary, while the state defendants — including Greene County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Patterson — have made claims to the contrary.

In granting Planned Parenthood's request for relief, Sachs noted that "the Springfield-Joplin area is notably unserved" and said Randall Williams, director of the Department of Health and Senior Services, has made it clear that he would not voluntarily nix the rules in question.

"Moreover, taking into account the highly contentious political status of abortions, it would take a very hardy Director, even if not personally opposed to pre-viability abortion rights, to agree voluntarily to establishment of abortion clinics in Springfield or Joplin that would be out of compliance with ASC standards," Sachs wrote.

"I am therefore satisfied that plaintiffs should have relief from such standards, as the Supreme Court mandated, and that relief should be prompt, given the needs of women seeking abortions and the need for available clinics to serve their needs."

LINK:The Springfield abortion clinic shooting of 1991 that injured two and made history

This means that Planned Parenthood will proceed with its goals to offer abortions in Springfield, said Jesse Lawder, vice president of marketing, communications and external relations with the organizations. Planned Parenthood has said it has a doctor ready and willing to perform abortions in Springfield.

"Our plan would be to first start providing medication abortion in Springfield and Joplin, and assess from there," Lawder told the News-Leader in an email. "There is some red tape that needs to be waded before (a patient) could come in for that service, but in the short term, that's what we're looking at."

Lawder wasn't able to say when a doctor would be available to provide abortions at the Springfield clinic, adding that Planned Parenthood would need to apply for a license and sort out some "internal considerations."

Medication abortions are different from emergency contraceptives ("Plan B"). Medication abortions involve taking pills that block hormones and empty the uterus. According to Planned Parenthood's website, medication abortions are "kind of like having a really heavy, crampy period, and the process is very similar to an early miscarriage."

Though the effect is the same, taking the "abortion pill" is less invasive than in-clinic procedures that use suction and surgical tools.

Even before a legal response was filed by the defendants — Williams, Patterson, Attorney General Josh Hawley, and the prosecuting attorneys in Jasper, Boone and Jackson counties — top Missouri Republicans chimed in with promises to protest the ruling.

"Wrong decision from judge striking down MO laws protecting health & safety of women," Hawley tweeted. "I will appeal."

Gov. Eric Greitens, who has been more fervent about his anti-abortion beliefs in recent months, echoed Hawley's message.

"Missouri is a pro-life state," Greitens tweeted. "We will beat this on appeal and keep fighting every day to protect the innocent unborn."