ST. LOUIS – In the past week, Planned Parenthoods around Missouri resumed their surgical abortion services, despite major legal pushback from the state health department blocking access to other types of abortion.
Despite recent legal victories for abortion rights in Missouri, certain medical access is still restricted around the state, but abortion affiliates say they’re not giving up the fight.
The Kansas City, Columbia and St. Louis Planned Parenthood locations are prepared to begin their surgical abortion services, with the St. Louis clinic performing the service last week for the first time since 2022.
Medication abortion remains blocked in Missouri due to state-imposed restrictions, meaning those looking for a more private and less invasive abortion option will have to cross state lines for access.
The disagreements between pro-life and pro-choice activists only heated up in November when Missourians voted to enshrine abortion into the state constitution— that same day, the state health department effectively blocked medication abortions around the state.
This topic has carried over into the new year after a judge struck down the licensing requirements for abortion facilities in Missouri.
Planned Parenthood submitted paperwork to provide medication abortions back in February. After delaying their response, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services introduced a new emergency rule on March 13.
By the end of the month, DHSS rejected Planned Parenthood’s applications for medication abortions, citing compliance issues under the new restrictions.
In a statement from President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, Margot Riphagen said,
“When state officials move the goalposts on us time and time again, their intentions become clear: they will stop at nothing to block Missourians’ access to critical reproductive health care, even when the voters enshrine that right into the Constitution.”
FOX 2 reached out to the State Department of Health and Senior Services and has not heard back as of Monday night.