Botched Abortion Injures Woman at Virginia Planned Parenthood

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Jan 9, 2012   |   1:13PM   |   Virginia Beach, VA

Details about a botched abortion done on a woman and unborn child at a Virginia Planned Parenthood are coming to light today two months after the failed abortion occurred.

A life-threatening abortion injury at a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic in Virginia Beach, Virginia has become public thanks to the work of a local pro-life advocate who worked to document the incident. Operation Rescue today published information about the botched abortion — including a recording of the 911 call placed by an obviously shaken non-medical Planned Parenthood employee on October 14. The recording was obtained by pro-life activist Louantha Kerr through an open records request.

The 911 recording was heavily redacted by Virginia Beach city officials. Nevertheless, it shows a medical emergency involving heavy bleeding on a 28-year old abortion patient that could not be controlled by two Planned Parenthood physicians.

Photographs taken by Kerr at the time of the incident depict an ambulance at the scene and a row of Planned Parenthood workers trying to block pro-lifers from documenting the event. At least one Planned Parenthood worker blocked cameras with an umbrella.

Operation Rescue president Troy Newman, who provided the details to LifeNews today, said pro-life advocates noticed the ironic sign hanging above the door of the Planned Parenthood abortion clinic reading, “Planning for Parenthood is Sacred Work.”

“Instead of ‘planning for parenthood’, that abortion clinic is more likely planning to profit from dead babies and broken women who have to live for the rest of their lives with the fact that they killed their own babies,” said Operation Rescue spokesperson Cheryl Sullenger. “With 96 percent of all pregnant women entering Planned Parenthood being sold abortions, it’s not hard to see how abortion is a cash cow for them. Based on years of experience investigating abortion clinics, we have found it is standard practice for them to place profit above the health and safety of women.”

The abortion facility involved in the botched abortion injury has recently applied to the state to upgrade to outpatient hospital status and add two operating rooms, Sullenger noted. She said that has happened as abortion facilities across Virginia work to comply with a new state law holding them to the same health and safety standards as legitimate outpatient surgical centers.

Abortion clinics have until March 30, 2012, to apply for a new facility license and undergo inspections.

“We call on Virginia regulators to deny Planned Parenthood’s request to expand their business,” said Sullenger. “If the abortions they are doing now are not safe, they certainly should not be allowed to inflict their dangerous abortion practices on even more women. There should be a thorough investigation of the October abortion injury and strong consideration should be given to shutting down this clinic altogether.”

This news follows on the heels of a report in December about another failed abortion.

A woman in California became the latest to be injured by a botched abortion as an ambulance rushed her to the hospital not long after she told pro-life sidewalk counselors she was getting an abortion.

Pro-life advocates helping women with abortion alternatives noticed a woman get out of a vehicle with a Christian symbol on the back just before Christmas on Thursday and head into the Stockton Pregnancy Control Medical Clinic abortion facility. An hour and a half later, she was wheeled out on a gurney and loaded into an awaiting ambulance for emergency transport to a nearby hospital.

The woman had told pro-life activist Don Blythe as she entered the abortion clinic that she was “quite confident” and “happy” with her decision to have an abortion. Blythe had attempted to offer her practical help and information in an attempt to help her save the life of her baby, according to Operation Rescue officials who notified LifeNews of the failed abortion.