Planned Parenthood Abortion Center Closes Instead of Following New Law
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
July 21, 2008
Sioux Falls, SD (LifeNews.com) — Monday was the first day that Planned Parenthood, which operates the only abortion business in South Dakota, had to comply with a new state law telling women the truth about abortion. Rather than tell women abortion kills children and has numerous risks, Planned Parenthood closed its doors.
The state law, which the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld last week, required abortion practitioners to inform every woman that she is terminating the life of a human being.
It requires giving her information about the mental health complications such as a high risk of depression and suicide and physical problems like hemorrhage infection, premature births of subsequent pregnancies, and infertility.
The woman considering the abortion receives a chance to sign in writing that she received the information and abortion practitioners who don’t comply face losing their medical license, two years in prison and a possible medical malpractice lawsuit.
Whether the closing is temporary or permanent remains to be seen.
Dr. Allen Unruh, a leading pro-life advocate who works with Alpha Pregnancy Center, told LifeNews.com that Monday was a historic day.
"Time will tell if Planned Parenthood plans to re-open it’s doors, but as for now, the regular abortions were canceled today as the abortionist refused to show up," he explained.
"We will see if any other abortionists plan to take the risks involved with full disclosure of what they do to women and their unborn children," he added.
South Dakota Attorney General Larry Long said last week the law would go into effect on Saturday following a decision earlier this month by a federal appeals court saying it’s constitutional.
The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the statute and, then, on Thursday, Planned Parenthood’s application to enjoin the statute following the appeals court decision failed.
The measure specifically tells them to tell women "the abortion will terminate the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being," defined as a human being.
It also requires that the abortion practitioner give women the contact information of a local pregnancy center, as well other information about her health risks and pregnancy support available.
The federal appeals court cited the portion of the Supreme Court’s recent Gonzales v. Carhart decision on partial-birth abortion referring to the post-abortion problems women experience.
The court indicated "some women come to regret their choice to abort the infant life they once created and sustained. Severe depression and loss of esteem can follow.”
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