Inside an abortion clinic in Florida

FORT MYERS, Florida – At a Planned Parenthood health center in Gulf Coast of Floridathe new restrictions on who can have an abortion are disrupting the routine and creating challenges for the clinic’s patients, doctors and nurses.

The center, in Fort Myers, has seen a steady influx of patients from Texas from September, the date of entry into force a ban on all but early abortions and other states that have restricted access to the procedure in the past year.

It is also adjusting to a waiting period that went into effect in Florida in April, after years of litigation, which forces abortion-seeking patients to do an ultrasound and wait at least 24 hours before undergoing the actual procedure again.

In addition, a new state law will come into effect from 1 July bans most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, instead of the current 24 weeks, although Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers in the state have sued to try to block it.

In addition to these changes, the Supreme Court is about to issue a ruling that could overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that legalized abortion in the United States.

Florida is not among the 13 states with calls triggering laws, which will quickly ban almost all abortions if the Roe ruling is overturned. But several neighboring states have such laws, so the center could end up receiving even more out-of-state visitors after the ruling. And the Florida lawmaker could apply multiple restrictions.

Many Florida patients undergo medical abortionswhich involve taking two different drugs, with an interval of 24 to 48 hours, and are authorized for the first 10 weeks of pregnancy.

But the center also offers surgical abortions up to nearly 22 weeks of pregnancy, at least until the new law comes into force. It also offers pelvic and breast exams, different types of birth control, tests and treatments for sexually transmitted diseases and other types of reproductive health care.

The protesters they are an almost constant presence in the center. Planned Parenthood moved to a new, larger building in 2020. One morning in January, several dozen protesters blocked the entrance, resulting in at least nine arrests.

Staff members who were working that day they feared that the building itself would be stormedbut they pushed a panic button that locked the doors and police arrived quickly, said Stephanie Fraim, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida.

One afternoon in May, a 72-year-old former nurse was among a group of Catholic protesters gathered outside the center. praying that people would not choose the procedure. “Abortion is not health care,” said the retired nurse, who asked to be identified by name only, Gwen. “Murder at either end of your life is not health care.”

The next day, a 27-year-old mother of two was waiting for her surgical abortion to begin. She said she wanted to continue her pregnancy. But while she and her partner suffered how they could face life with a third childHe had decided not to. His partner had considered taking a second job, but he wanted him to have time to spend with his daughters.

Once the procedure began, Dr. Stacy De-Lin, then the center’s associate medical director, worked quickly as the patient cried softly on the couch while her partner held her hand. A few minutes later, after the abortion was over, the couple hugged for a long time. I was 11 weeks pregnant.

“It weighed heavily on me,” the patient later said, reflecting on the experience. “It wasn’t something I wanted to do. But it was something we had to do as a couple for the benefit of our family and our children.”

De-Lin returned to New York last month. She previously worked as an associate medical director for Planned Parenthood of Greater New York and would return to practice in the state, where abortion will remain legal for up to 24 weeks of pregnancy, or later. if the fetus is not viable or the life or health of the patient is in dangerregardless of the decision of the Supreme Court.

Part of the reason she left Florida, she said, was that she would no longer be allowed to perform abortions beyond 15 weeks of pregnancy if the new law went into effect as planned.

“The state you live in shouldn’t determine what health care you can get,” he said, “so that attitude seems extremely overwhelming and heartbreaking.”

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