{"id":221949,"date":"2020-04-15T17:45:13","date_gmt":"2020-04-15T22:45:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=221949"},"modified":"2020-04-15T17:45:38","modified_gmt":"2020-04-15T22:45:38","slug":"abortion-industry-covid-19-panic-spike-abortions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/abortion-industry-covid-19-panic-spike-abortions\/","title":{"rendered":"Abortion industry claims COVID-19 panic has led to spike in abortions"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Fears about dwindling personal protective equipment (PPE) and containing the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) has led <\/span>certain states<\/span><\/a> to suspend abortion services. The <\/span>Associated Press<\/span><\/a> recently interviewed staffers from abortion businesses that have not halted abortions. These staffers claim that due to distress over economic and health concerns, more<\/em> women are\u00a0seeking abortions now than they normally would.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Julie Burkhart<\/span><\/a> oversees several abortion facilities in Wichita, Kansas and Oklahoma City, and according to her, the calls her facilities have received have been \u201cfrantic.\u201d She implied that there have been huge uptakes in the amount of procedures being committed due to women\u2019s fears about not having access to abortion. Later in the interview, <\/span>Burkhart<\/span><\/a> revealed that her Wichita facility — the same one that recently sent a woman to the hospital<\/a> — committed 252 abortions this past March, up from 90 last year.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, notes Live Action News’ Carole Novielli, Texas Public Radio<\/a>\u00a0stated that Planned\u00a0Parenthood\u00a0of Greater Texas had canceled 261 abortions already by March 24th, and a Planned Parenthood spokesperson claimed they had received \u201c583 calls from patients seeking appointments during that same time period.\u201d Amy Hagstrom-Miller, president and CEO of Whole Woman\u2019s Health and Whole Woman\u2019s Health Alliance, also stated that her facilities \u201chad been forced to cancel more than 150 appointments as of [March 25].\u201d<\/p>\n

READ:\u00a0Protecting the weakest: These states demand an end to surgical abortions during the COVID-19 pandemic<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Panic surrounding the virus has caused more women to rely on abortion, says <\/span>Dr. Jen Villavicenio<\/span><\/a>, a Michigan abortionist. Villavicencio believes women will need abortion more as the pandemic continues.\u00a0<\/span>“I hear it in my patient’s voices and questions daily,\u201d <\/span>Villavicencio<\/span> said in an email. “They’re worried about how they will make their rent, feed their family, access a ventilator if the need arises.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In a time when women need medical resources, providers such as <\/span>Planned Parenthood<\/span><\/a> have suspended all services with the exception of abortion. The need for prenatal care and other forms of support does not seem to be receiving as much attention from <\/span>abortion advocacy groups<\/span><\/a>. Instead, t<\/span>he focus seems to be on how COVID-19 has pushed more women towards an abortion decision. According to Hope Clinic for Women deputy director <\/span>Alison Dreith<\/span><\/a>, before the pandemic, the number of women who proceeded with their plan to abort was 50%. As the threat of COVID-19 continues, <\/span>Dreith<\/span><\/a> claimed that rate is now at 85%.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Michael J. New, Associate Scholar with the Charlotte Lozier Institute, discussed this piece of information in an email with Live Action News, writing, “It is interesting that [the abortion industry is saying] only 50% of scheduled abortions happen.\u00a0Pro-life efforts on the sidewalks and at pregnancy help centers might\u00a0be making a difference.” He added, “If a higher percentage of women are going through with abortions,\u00a0pro-lifers need to step up our game. We need to pray and sidewalk\u00a0counsel and encourage others to do the same. Obviously, people should\u00a0take precautions. It would be a good idea to wear a mask and distance\u00a0oneself. However, a presence outside the abortion facilities is still\u00a0necessary.”<\/p>\n

To make women <\/span>\u201c<\/span>safer<\/span><\/a>\u201d during the pandemic,<\/span>\u00a0the abortion industry has increased its push for\u00a0<\/span>do-it-yourself abortions<\/span><\/a>. These<\/span>\u00a0abortions are <\/span>fraught with serious risks<\/span><\/a>\u00a0for women, and many<\/a> have described<\/a> their horrific experiences<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>The complications associated with the abortion pill could potentially send <\/span>thousands<\/span><\/a> of women to emergency rooms already overburdened by COVID-19.<\/span><\/p>\n