Planned Parenthood Asks for Injunction In Medical Abortion Case

ST. LOUIS, MO — Since the state legislature passed regulations last summer shuttering Planned Parenthood clinics in Joplin, Springfield and Columbia, St. Louis and Kansas City have been the only two cities in Missouri where medical abortions are available.

Unlike surgical abortions, medical abortions are done through medication: two pills taken a day or so apart. It is the most common form of abortion in the state and is usually used in the very early stages of pregnancy. It can't be used after 10 weeks, according to Planned Parenthood.

Planned Parenthood groups in both cities have filed suit to overturn the new regulations, which require abortion clinics that provide medical abortions to have written contracts with at least two on-call doctors who have admitting privileges at a local hospital. Proponents say they are necessary to protect women from shoddy medical care at poorly regulated clinics, but opponents say they are intended to simply shut down abortion clinics.

“Medication abortions are incredibly safe, with less than 1 percent of patients experiencing major complications,” Planned Parenthood told the Kansas City Star. “These stringent requirements are not imposed on any other medical service in the state, including medications and surgeries with far higher complication rates.”

The state has asked for the lawsuit to be dismissed, saying Planned Parenthood failed to even try to comply with the new regulations. But, Planned Parenthood said it asked every ob-gyn in several of the cities where it operates and none would agree to be on-call for the group.

Planned Parenthood says women must now travel hundreds of miles to obtain a medical abortion, which is legal. The state says women may instead obtain a surgical abortion closer to home.

The lawsuit is scheduled to go to trial in March 2019, but Planned Parenthood has asked for a preliminary injunction until the cases is decided.

The Associated Press contributed to this reporting.

Read more from the Kansas City Star.

Photo: Planned Parenthood supporters carry balloons during the St. Louis Women's March in January. (J. Ryne Danielson/Patch)