Abortion giant Planned Parenthood has stopped abortions in South Dakota for the time being as it awaits a ruling in a Supreme Court case that may overturn landmark case Roe v. Wade.
USA Today-affiliated outlet Argus Leader wrote that Emily Bisek, the vice president of strategic communications for Planned Parenthood North Central States said that its clinic in Souix Falls is open for birth control and family planning care, but not abortions.
South Dakota’s only abortion clinic ?? https://t.co/R73o6HyfUK
— Gabriella Borter (@gabriellaborter) June 16, 2022
"We can't in good faith schedule patients for abortions when they would have to go out of state anyway," Bisek told the Argus Leader on Wednesday. She added that many patients would need to travel out-of-state for an abortion due to laws that are already in place in the state.
The unavailability of abortion services in South Dakota is expected to increase demand for those services in surrounding states. Based on the available data projections, Planned Parenthood North Central State's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Sarah Traxler, says they are expecting a 5-to-25% increase in demand for abortion services at Minnesota's abortion clinic locations alone.
"That's based on a [national] projection that only about 50% of those people who need an abortion would actually have the ability to travel," Traxler told the Argus Leader.
That means the other half doesn't have the means to travel, and are left with the option of continuing a pregnancy or finding a way to self-manage one.
In the short-term, Traxler says an uptick at the Sioux City clinic is also likely, with more than 70% of patients at the Iowa clinic already South Dakota residents.
Bisek added that she is expecting a ruling in the Supreme Court case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization by the end of the month. The case pertains to a 15-week abortion ban in Mississippi and could overturn Roe. A leaked draft opinion from the case last month showed the justices ready to overturn Roe.
Townhall reported how South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a Republican, unveiled a proposal earlier this year to outlaw all abortions in the state. She previously signaled support for a “heartbeat” abortion law in the state, similar to one Texas enacted last year. She signed an executive order in September last year restricting telemedicine abortions. She defended the order in an interview shortly after.
“Everybody knows that I’m pro-life and do not support any kind of abortions,” Noem said in the interview. “But, here what the Biden administration is doing is trying to put forward abortion on demand. And we’re going to stop them and make sure that that’s not available in our state.”