A Cincinnati Planned Parenthood could be forced to close because it has not been able to comply with a health law that protects women suffering from emergency complications.
The AP reports the abortion facility does not have a transfer agreement with a local hospital, as required by law. Until recently, the state granted it a variance, allowing Planned Parenthood to have agreements with four doctors to treat patients with emergency complications instead.
In late December, however, Ohio Health Director Amy Acton rescinded the exception after one of the four doctors ended his agreement with the abortion chain, according to the report.
Acton said she approved the variance on May 28, 2019 because Planned Parenthood had four backup doctors to provide care to patients admitted to the hospital.
“Because I find that three backup physicians are inadequate to provide the same level of patient health and safety that a written transfer agreement with a local hospital provides, I am rescinding the variance issued to [Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio Region] effective as of the date of this letter,” she said.
The abortion facility still is open, but it could lose its license if it does not comply with the safety requirement soon, according to the health department.
The state issued a similar warning in 2014, but the Cincinnati Planned Parenthood eventually complied through the variance.
Planned Parenthood operates the only abortion facility in Cincinnati. According to Right to Life of Greater Cincinnati, it kills about 3,000 unborn babies in abortions every year.
Click here to sign up for pro-life news alerts from LifeNews.com
Pro-life leaders expect Planned Parenthood will contest if the state tries to revoke its license, but they expressed hope that someday the abortion facility will close.
“Cincinnati Right to Life extends our heartfelt thanks to all local hospitals for their decisions not to do business with a facility that murders babies. We ask that you continue to stand strong,” the organization said in a statement.
Hospital transfer agreements and hospital admitting privilege requirements help protect women who are victimized by botched abortions. It is telling that the abortion industry often challenges such basic safety requirements in court. In March, the U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the challenge against a Louisiana law that requires abortionists to have hospital admitting privileges for patient emergencies.
The Cincinnati Planned Parenthood has a history of unethical practices. In 2010, a judge ruled against the abortion facility for doing an abortion on a 14-year-old victim of sexual abuse without informing her parents or meeting state informed consent requirements.
