Abortion clinics are closing at an astounding rate as Republican-run states continue to pass measures to restrict and regulate abortion access.
Bloomberg business reports that since 2011, at least 162 abortion providers have closed their clinics or stopped offering abortion procedures. Only 21 new clinics have opened.
Not since Roe vs. Wade passed in 1973 has access to abortion been so dependent on where a woman lives. One abortion clinic is reportedly closing every two weeks--in 35 states.
Clinics are closing all across the country as the pro-life movement impacts policies, but some states have seen a greater increase in abortion clinic closures than others. Texas, for example, which passed sweeping regulations against abortion in 2013, has seen at least 30 abortion clinics close.
Iowa saw 14 close, while Michigan saw 13. Even California, a largely Democratic state, saw a dozen abortion clinics close.
Some clinics have closed after new laws were implemented which stated that the clinics needed to become like hospitals with outpatient surgical centers as well as offer doctors access to nearby hospitals. This has led to a decline in access to abortion facilities for women, which has subsequently led to a decline in the abortion rate.
A clinic in Bridgeport, Connecticut recently closed after 40 years of providing abortions, saying that demand was too low.
Photo courtesy: Religion News Service
Publication date: February 25, 2016
