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Planned Parenthood this week announced it would use a large RV
equipped with abortion services to travel Illinois' borders with
neighboring states. The mobile clinic will remain in Illinois but
will look to provide abortion services to women living in other
states with more restrictive abortion laws.
A statement from Yamelsie Rodríguez, president and CEO of Planned
Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri, said the
mobile clinic shows it is committed to providing services to those
in need
"When Roe fell 100 days ago, we doubled down on our commitment to
patients," Rodriguez said. "Today we march forward, expanding access
to family planning in Missouri while we take abortion care on the
road in Illinois."
Amy Gehrke of the Illinois Right To Life Foundation told the Center
Square that this is another move by Planned Parenthood to increase
profits.
"Planned Parenthood, not only here in Illinois but all across the
U.S., has proven that it is willing to do anything to increase its
profits," Gehrke said. "Even at the expense of women's health and
safety."
Illinois has some of the most liberal abortion laws in the nation.
Gehrke warns that this could lead to more radical actions from
Planned Parenthood.
"The abortion industry has not stopped yet," Gehrke told The Center
Square. "Planned Parenthood has been pushing for legislation that
would make it legal for abortions to take place without doctors
during the first trimester of pregnancy."
The Mobile Abortion Clinic is the first mobile clinic providing
abortion care in the Midwest and the first for Planned Parenthood in
the country.
Planned Parenthood stated that the mobile clinic is needed to keep
up with an influx of patients.
"We are meeting a unique need in a geographic area surrounded by
states that have banned abortion," the statement said. "Our health
center in Fairview Heights has seen a 30% increase in abortion
patients. We expected a patient surge, but it came much faster than
anticipated."
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