Washington, D.C. (16 March 2010) – Three weeks ago, a woman named Angie Jackson live-tweeted her RU-486 medical abortion obtained at Planned Parenthood. As Angie described her mental and emotional state, and detailed the pain and trauma of her experience, the story made national headlines, and captivated and horrified the nation.
Today, American Life League released its annual survey of Planned Parenthood locations. The American Life League report confirms that the nation’s largest abortion purveyor has increased the number of facilities committing medical abortions by 130 percent – even while the total number of Planned Parenthood facilities decline.
“While we are thrilled to see the number of Planned Parenthood affiliates and facilities declining, we are extremely dismayed to see Planned Parenthood continuing to build its abortion business by increasing the number of facilities administering deadly abortion pills,” said Rita Diller, national director of ALL’s Stop Planned Parenthood project (STOPP).
“The abortion pill regimen, appearing under names such as mifepristone (RU-486) and methotrexate, is being pushed by Planned Parenthood in order to increase its abortion business,” Diller said. “Since Planned Parenthood charges about the same amount for medical abortion as surgical abortion, it stands to dramatically increase its profits from abortion by hawking the pills. With an abortion pill, there is no need for a surgeon, surgical staff, a surgical suite and all the expenses those services entail.”
Even though the abortion pill experience is painful, protracted and often traumatic for the women who use it, as evidenced by Angie Jackson and a copycat inspired by her, Planned Parenthood continues to sell the pills to unsuspecting women. They take the first pill in the office, and then are sent home with the second pill and left on their own to deal with profuse bleeding and persistent pain.
ALL’s report documents Planned Parenthood declining in all other areas examined.
In November 2009, Planned Parenthood had 96 affiliates, down three from the previous year. The 2009 number reflects a 47-percent decline from 1987, when it boasted 181 affiliates. Planned Parenthood affiliates are self-governing corporations that operate local Planned Parenthood facilities under certification from Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s national office.
The 2009 report shows Planned Parenthood operating one less surgical abortion facility than it did in 2008. Its non-express and express chemical abortion facilities, which distribute birth control products that, at least some of the time, can result in chemical abortions, both declined: There were 16 fewer non-express facilities and 11 fewer express chemical abortion facilities.
As of Nov. 30, 2009, Planned Parenthood was operating 817 facilities in the U.S., 27 fewer than at the end of 2008 and down 13 percent from the all-time high of 938 facilities in 1995.
“Planned Parenthood’s flight from numerous communities and neighborhoods means that parents and grandparents can rest more peacefully in the knowledge that Planned Parenthood is no longer lurking around the next corner, waiting for the opportunity to kill innocent preborn babies, and sexualize and steal the souls of children and teens who most need our protection,” Diller said. “The closing of these facilities is a testament to the fact that when local people actively oppose Planned Parenthood, community support erodes, and when community support erodes, Planned Parenthood facilities shut down.”
American Life League was cofounded in 1979 by Judie Brown. It is the largest grassroots Catholic pro-life organization in the United States and is committed to the protection of all innocent human beings from the moment of creation to death. For more information or press inquiries, please contact Katie Walker at 540.659.4942.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
- American Life League: STOPP – Annual Report (15 March 2010) http://stopp.org/pdfs/2009%20Annual%20PP%20Report%20Combined.pdf.
- American Life League: STOP Planned Parenthood
http://stopp.org/ - ABC News: Angie Jackson Live Tweets Abortion (25 February 2010) http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/angie-jackson-live-tweets-abortion/story?id=9937689
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