Abortion Business Near Portland, Oregon Reportedly Closes

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Sep 22, 2011   |   6:28PM   |   Washington, DC

One of the two abortion businesses operated by long-time Oregon abortion practitioner Peter Bours, who began doing abortions in the state in 1975, has reportedly closed.

Bours, according to 40 Days for Life national spokesman Shawn Carney, has closed his abortion center in Forest Grove, a suburb west of Portland, although he continues operating an abortion business in Eugene.

“In Forest Grove, Oregon, the local 40 Days for Life team confirmed that the owner of the abortion center had closed this facility — and one of his other locations as well. Volunteers told me the signs are down, the building is empty — and a phone call confirmed the permanent closure,” Carney said.

The Bours web site seems to corroborate that report, saying, “We have had offices in Forest Grove, Portland, and Eugene but now see patients only in Eugene.”

Gayle Atteberry, the director of Oregon Right to Life, told LifeNews today she is delighted with the news that an abortion facility in her state has closed.

“This is a significant victory, as Peter Bours has been Oregon’s infamous late-term abortionist for many years. He is still in business elsewhere in the state, but every one of his clinics that closes means that more babies will live,” Atteberry said.

Bours Health Center was established by W. A. “Peter” Bours M.D. and his wife, Joan Moss M.N., R.N and Bours does all of the abortions at his facilities. Bours Health Center is a member of the National Abortion Federation, which has seen numerous abortion centers over the years close or face disciplining from state health boards for running afoul of state health and safety laws protecting women. Bours is a member of the NAF board of directors.

In November, 2009, the largest private laboratory in Oregon decided to end its relationship with Bours‘ Eugene-based abortion business. PeaceHealth Laboratories learned that Peter Bours’ clinic does abortions and the Catholic-owned company has stopped doing any of its testing as a result. The decision came after a local sidewalk counselor at Bours’ abortion center noticed a PeaceHealth courier making a delivery and issued a complaint to the company.

Bours told the Associated Press he uses lab testing to diagnose tubal pregnancies and was taken aback by the decision.

“I was a little surprised,” Bours said. “You have a seven-year business relationship with someone and you cut it off because one lame protester calls — it seems a little ridiculous to me.”

AP indicated Bours talked with Ran Whitehead, CEO of PeaceHealth Laboratories, who said that doing testing for an abortion facility was not in line with its values and mission. Bours indicated a different, albeit unnamed, lab has picked up his business.

At the time, Gayle Atteberry, executive director of Oregon Right to Life, talked with LifeNews.com about the news.

“Bours is an infamous ‘traveling’ abortionist, who has abortion clinics in three Oregon towns,” she explained.

“Wonderful pro-life sidewalk counselors pray and picket his office in Eugene regularly,” she added. “Thanks to their watchful eye, PeaceHealth was brought up to speed on their complicity in his abortion practice.”

Planned Parenthood recruited Bours to open an abortion center in Eugene after an older center closed. However, Bours only does surgical abortions as a link provided on his web site features an article saying, “Bours clinics have recently ceased providing the abortion pill due to the high risk of serious complications.”

“None of these women should be dying; it’s shocking,” Bours told the New York Times in April 2006.