A Day at the Abortion Clinic at the Center of the Supreme Court Case

The Wall Street Journal ^ | Dec, 21, 2019, | Jennifer Calfas

[Morgana]

SHREVEPORT, La.—Women travel from all over the region for appointments at the only abortion clinic for about 200 miles. Protesters drive for hours to get here, too.

The Hope Medical Group for Women is one of three abortion providers left in Louisiana. On a recent Saturday, the clinic’s staff of 17 saw 45 patients for abortions, counseling sessions and follow-up appointments—a typical agenda for their busiest day of the week.

The clinic is behind the abortion case going before the U.S. Supreme Court next year. Hope Medical Group for Women is challenging a 2014 Louisiana law requiring doctors who perform the procedure to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals, which would enable physicians to send a patient to a specific hospital and provide medical services there if needed.

The law’s supporters say it ensures safety for patients. Physicians say the requirement is unnecessary because abortion is a safe procedure with low complication rates, and that admitting privileges can be difficult to acquire—a reason critics of the measure say it was imposed.

If the law is upheld, it could make Louisiana the first state with no abortion clinic since the high court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized the procedure nationwide.

Only one doctor at the state’s three clinics has admitting privileges. He works at Hope Medical Group for Women, which has been in operation for four decades. Citing safety concerns for himself and his family, he has said he would stop performing abortions if he were the only willing and credentialed doctor in the state. Recruiting doctors with admitting privileges can be difficult, says Kathaleen Pittman, the clinic’s administrator.

Justices hear arguments in March, and a decision is expected in June.

[Morgana]

“Physicians say the requirement is unnecessary because abortion is a safe procedure with low complication rates, and that admitting privileges can be difficult to acquire—a reason critics of the measure say it was imposed.”

Who has the spiked egg nog? I really need it about now.

[topher]

This article (documenting this) is my Christmas present from God (in my opinion.

[Morgana]

They need coal in their stocking tonight

[definitelynotaliberal]

It’s hard for me to wrap my mind around how much enthusiasm there is in some quarters for killing babies. Hollywood won’t film in GA because of GA’s restrictive laws, NY celebrated legalizing abortion up to the date of delivery by lighting up the Empire State Bldg. and this article placidly states: Physicians say the requirement is uneccessary because abortion is safe....... I just don’t get this at all.

[Mrs. Don-o]

And if abortion is so safe, so respectable, so unobjectionable and so mainstream, why would it be difficult for an abortionist to get admitting privileges-— hmm?