Planned Parenthood Brings Web Cam Abortions to Minnesota; Is Wisconsin Next?

Planned Parenthood has begun using the extremely dangerous RU 486 web-cam abortion technique in Minnesota. According to Planned Parenthood Minnesota spokesperson Connie Lewis, the organization began providing web-cam abortions at their Rochester, Mn. clinic. This marks the first time that Planned Parenthood Minnesota has expanded its abortion practice beyond its St. Paul, Mn. abortion center.
We have known for some time about Planned Parenthood’s deadly plan to bring RU 486 web-cam abortions to cities and towns throughout the nation. First it was Iowa, then Minnesota. Now it appears Planned Parenthood is set to begin expanding its abortion business here in Wisconsin.

Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin (PPWI) is already the state’s largest abortion provider but it is not content to limit the performance of abortions to its three abortions clinics in the state. Now it appears it wants to offer dangerous RU 486 chemical abortions to women in towns and cities like Portage, Beaver Dam, Delavan and other Wisconsin locations where PPWI has not previously operated abortion clinics.

Since only a handful of doctors want to perform abortions, it would be difficult for PPWI to expand its surgical abortion operations. But by providing RU 486 web-cam abortions, PPWI can expand its lucrative abortion business without even having a doctor physically present! Web-cam abortions were initiated by Planned Parenthood of the Heartland and piloted in Iowa where 2,000 of these abortions took place, with the intention of exporting this technique to other states. A woman enters a Planned Parenthood facility and discusses her abortion by web-cam with an abortionist in another city or perhaps even another state. After the information exchange, the abortionist presses a button which opens a drawer at the woman’s location. Her abortion drugs (RU 486 and prostaglandin, a labor-inducing drug) are in the drawer and the abortionist watches her take the medication via web-cam. The woman is never examined by the physician!

RU 486 and its companion drug are administered between the fifth and ninth weeks of pregnancy, after pregnancy has been confirmed. An RU 486/prostaglandin-induced abortion usually involves three trips to a doctor. About half of the women abort while at the doctor’s office. An additional 26% abort within the next 20 hours – in the shopping mall, grocery store or in their homes, for example. The remainder abort sometime in the next few weeks or not at all. A woman who doesn’t abort is advised to have a surgical abortion because the RU 486/prostaglandin chemicals may have injured the unborn child. RU 486 is not the morning-after pill.

Through April 0f 2011, the FDA reports 2207 adverse events related to the use of RU 486. These events include 14 deaths, 612 hospitalizations, 58 ectopic pregnancies, 339 blood transfusions, and 256 cases of infections. A European drug manufacturer has publicly stated that 28 women have died worldwide after using RU 486.

Given the grave dangers associated with RU 486, Planned Parenthood’s potential plan to bring web-cam RU 486 abortions to towns and cities in Wisconsin should be of grave concern to anyone concerned with the health and welfare of women. Fortunately, legislation is pending in the state legislature to stop Planned Parenthood’s irresponsible plan to bring web-cam RU 486 abortions to cities and towns throughout Wisconsin.

Senator Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin) and Assembly Representative Michelle Litjens (R-Oshkosh) are drafting the Woman’s Protection Act. Among other things, the Lazich/Litjens legislation requires that the administration of RU 486 or other similar chemicals used to induce an abortion be done in the same room and in the physical presence of the physician who prescribed or provided the drug to the patient. Reasonable efforts to ensure the patient returns for a follow-up visit are also required.

Planned Parenthood’s utter disregard for the health and safety of women is appalling. It would be a tragedy if web-cam RU 486 abortion came to Wisconsin. Their deadly plan must be stopped in its tracks.

Susan Armacost