Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Americans across the country are hurting due to the poor economy, but, for pro-life advocates, there is a silver lining. A Planned Parenthood affiliate has announced that the abortion business will lay off 10 employees covering nine and a half positions including its South Dakota director.

Planned Parenthood of Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota said hard economic times forced the layoffs.

That includes South Dakota director Kate Looby, who confirmed to AP that she will be fired form her position.

Lobby has overseen the lone South Dakota abortion business, run by Planned Parenthood in Sioux Falls, since 2003 and has been a thorn in the side of pro-life advocates who have tried twice to get voters to approve an abortion ban.

AP quotes Planned Parenthood spokeswoman Kathi Di Nicola who said the abortion business fired employees whose positions had more to do with public relations and lobbying as opposed to staff at the abortion centers themselves.

That could mean less of a pro-abortion lobbying presence in the three states during the upcoming legislative sessions.

Other positions were cut in Minnesota and Di Nicola indicated none of the Planned Parenthood abortion centers or facilities, including those in Sioux Falls and Rapid City, would close.

The news of the layoffs comes one day after the South Dakota health department announced that abortions declined 5.5 percent from 2006 to 2007.

Abortions declined to 707 in 2007 after there were 748 in 2006 -- and both are down from the 805 abortions performed in 2005.
Abortions done on South Dakota residents decreased 3.8 percent, going from 633 in 2006 to 609 in 2007, according to the new figures from the South Dakota Department of Health.

That means 98 abortions were done on out-of-state residents at the state's lone abortion business, run by Planned Parenthood in Sioux Falls. Looking at the numbers further, 54 Minnesota residents, 31 residents of Iowa and 13 residents of other states went to South Dakota for abortions.

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