GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A Planned Parenthood Health Center in Kent County is now providing procedural abortions.
The Planned Parenthood Irwin/Martin Health Center on Cherry Street in Grand Rapids will be only one of two procedural abortion providers in West Michigan.
Planned Parenthood says that the decision was made to help address West Michigan's "abortion access crisis."
The move to provide procedural abortions was possible once the Michigan Reproductive Health Act went into effect on Feb. 13.
“While many states are erecting barriers to abortion access, Michiganders have worked to tear them down, and we’re grateful to Gov. Whitmer and leaders in the state legislature for recognizing the dire need to remove restrictions that have remained on the books,” said Paula Thornton Greear, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Michigan. “With many of these barriers lifted, our Grand Rapids health center is now able to provide procedural abortions for our patients in addition to medication abortions, and I’m proud of our staff members who make this new service possible through their dedication to providing confidential, high-quality care every day.”
Procedural abortions take place in health clinics and are currently offered in Ann Arbor, Flint, Kalamazoo and now Grand Rapids.
Medication abortions are offered at all 14 Planned Parenthood locations in Michigan. Medication abortions use a pill, or combination of pills, to end a pregnancy up to 11 weeks into the pregnancy. Procedural abortions are another option for ending a pregnancy after 11 weeks.
The Heritage Clinic for Women in Grand Rapids used to provide procedural abortions before closing in August of 2023. Planned Parenthood saw the lack of access to abortions in the region and decided to step in to fill that gap.
Planned Parenthood's Kalamazoo health center was also seeing an influx of out-of-state patients from Indiana due to the state's abortion ban.
“My patients deserve the freedom to access the full spectrum of abortion care they need without having to travel to another state or even city, and that’s why we’re proud to add procedural abortion as an option right here in Grand Rapids,” said Dr. Sarah Wallett, Chief Medical Operating Officer for Planned Parenthood of Michigan. “We’re grateful that several harmful, politically-motivated restrictions officially ended earlier this month, allowing us the opportunity to better meet the needs of our patients, including Black, LGBTQ, low-income and rural Michiganders – all of whom face additional barriers to accessing care.”
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