Planned Parenthood Sues Missouri for the Second Time

November 2, 2017 | Legal News, News

Missouri is Being Sued by Planned Parenthood, Again

Planned Parenthood is suing Missouri, due to a portion of its new abortion law that involves requirements for administering abortion pill.

When a woman receives a medical abortion, they typically take one pill at the clinic, and a second pill at home.  Part of the new law requires that those who provide the medication to contract with an obstetrician-gynecologist with admitting privileges at a hospital. In order to treat ay complications from a medication abortion, the ob-gyn must be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Planned Parenthood seeks to block the requirement, called the complication plan regulation.They said that the regulation is the latest in a series of medically unnecessary requirements imposed by the State, which will, without basis, limit women’s access to an extremely safe procedure using medications alone.”

Planner Parenthood also says the the change in law has already prevents their ability to provide medication abortions at its clinic in Columbia.

Right now, complication rates for the procedure are 0.23%.

This is the second lawsuit Planned Parenthood has filed in relation to the new law. The previous lawsuit sought to block a provision of the law that requires the same physician providing an abortion to inform the patient of its medical risks three days before the procedure.

However, law week a judge riled that the provision doesn’t impose an “undue burden” on women seeking abortions.

The current lawsuit in Missouri was filed in federal court and argues that it violates the due process and equal protection clauses of the U.S. Constitution.

 

Due to the complication plan requirement, medication abortions have effectively been banned in Joplin, Springfield, and Columbia.

The organization argues that the regulation harms women’s healthy by restriction their access to medication abortions. The only two available facilities are on opposite sides of the state.

The lawsuit reads, “Women from anywhere outside of those two areas must travel significant distances to obtain a medication abortion in their home state. And due to other Missouri abortion restrictions, they must make this trip two times, at least 72 hours apart, and meet in person with the same physician who is going to provide the abortion.” 

In response to the lawsuit, Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley stated, “The Missouri Complications Plan Requirement for medication abortions is a commonsense regulation that ensures women have access to adequate care in medical emergencies.”