Last Abortion Facility in Green Bay Wisconsin Stops Doing Abortions

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Jul 25, 2013   |   11:12AM   |   Washington, DC

The only facility in Green Bay, Wisconsin that does abortions is no longer going to be doing abortions. The Ob-Gyn Associates clinic on Webster Avenue on the city’s east side near the Bellin Hospital in the Medical Arts Building was doing abortions but a local news report indicates they are ceasing.

From the local news story:

For decades, protesters have walked the sidewalks around the Medical Arts Building on Webster Avenue. Their vigils and prayers have always been for abortions performed inside the building would come to an end.

“Our prayers have been answered if indeed that’s the case,” said anti-abortion activist Jim Ball.

Those answered prayers come in the form of a business deal between Ob-Gyn Associates and Bellin Health. The obstetrics and gynecology practice owned by Dr. Robert DeMott, according to federal documents, has been sold to Bellin Health System, effective Aug. 1.

DeMott did not respond to our request for comment, but he confirms the sale and more in the federal court documents related to Planned Parenthood’s lawsuit fighting Wisconsin’s new restrictive abortion law.

In the declaration by DeMott, he acknowledges the sale to Bellin, indicates he will become an employee of Bellin, and as a condition of employment with Bellin he says, “I may not provide abortion services to any patient.”

Bellin Health System officials declined an on camera interview, instead issuing this statement to FOX 11, saying, “In accordance with Bellin Health policy, we cannot verify or provide comments on potential or existing business negotiations.”

However, we were told a statement would be coming Aug. 1 – the same day Bellin is slated to take ownership of Doctor DeMott’s medical practice.

This news of the stoppage of abortions in Green Bay comes after the Planned Parenthood abortion business shut down one clinic in Appleton and ended abortions at its Green Bay clinic in response to the ultrasound bill Governor Scott Walker signed.

Governor Scott Walker signed Senate Bill 206 (Sonya’s Law) into law.  This important new law requires that women seeking abortions in Wisconsin be given the opportunity to see their unborn children through ultrasound.

Just hours before Walker signed the law, the Planned Parenthood abortion business announced it would file a lawsuit seeking to stop women from seeing these ultrasounds. A judge has put the law on hold while the case continues.

“We thank Governor Walker for signing this important piece of legislation into law,” said Wisconsin Right to Life legislative director Armacost. “Sonya’s Law will empower women to make truly informed decisions regarding how they will proceed with their pregnancies and will protect the lives of women who experience complications after their abortions.”

“The announcement of an impending lawsuit is no surprise to anyone,” said Susan Armacost, Legislative Director of Wisconsin Right to Life. “It appears that the court challenge will focus on the hospital admitting privileges requirement.  Apparently, Wisconsin’s abortion clinics don’t believe their abortionists need to have hospital privileges at a hospital located within 30 miles of their clinic….or anywhere at all. Currently, when a woman experiences hemorrhaging or other life-threatening complications after an abortion in Wisconsin, the clinic puts her in an ambulance and sends her to a hospital ALONE where she is left to her own devices to explain her medical issues to the emergency room staff. The abortionist who performed the abortion is nowhere to be seen.  This deplorable situation must change.”

Armacost said the new law is on sound constitutional footing. Nine other states have passed laws requiring abortion doctors to have hospital admitting privileges. Missouri’s admitting privilege law was challenged and upheld by the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.