A Planned Parenthood facility in Chicago has relocated and is expanding its presence in Illinois because of the increase in demand for abortions largely coming from neighboring states. PP's Loop Health Center, according to Live Action, is purposely located near public transportation and both Chicago airports.
"The move," says Planned Parenthood of Illinois, "is part of [our] preparation for an increase in out-of-state abortion patients as the Supreme Court appears poised to overturn Roe v. Wade this year, which means every state that borders Illinois could quickly ban abortion."
Amy Gherke of Illinois Right to Life tells AFN that since 2019, the abortion provider has opened regional clinics on the borders of pro-life states Wisconsin, Indiana, and Missouri.
"And we expect one to come soon perhaps on the border with Iowa," Gherke continues. "All of these clinics were built in these strategic locations specifically so women from these states with protective pro-life laws could cross the border, easily have an abortion in Illinois, and then go back to their homes."
The pro-lifer also offers a warning to pregnant women in neighboring states who are considering an abortion in Illinois. She explains that in 2019, Illinois' Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker, who is still in office, signed the Reproductive Health Act – legislation that did away with almost every pro-life law in the state and, among other things, removed Planned Parenthood from the legal umbrella of ambulatory surgical centers.
"What that means under Illinois law is that abortion clinics basically regulate themselves," says Gherke. "They're not inspected by the state, they don't have to follow the same standards as other medical clinics in the state, they are on their own – which, of course, leaves the door open for all kinds of nefarious behavior."
WomensHealthComesFirst.com, a project of Illinois Right to Life, reports that PP's Loop Health Center has never had a full health inspection – and "is not licensed and therefore not subject to any health and safety inspections" by the Illinois Department of Public Health. Ironically, the new location opened its doors on Valentine's Day (February 14).
Planned Parenthood currently has 17 locations in Illinois, seven of them in Chicago.
