Wisconsin Hospital Board Approves Plan To Offer Second-Trimester Abortions

Main Category: Abortion
Also Included In: Public Health
Article Date: 09 Feb 2009 - 0:00 PDT

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The University of Wisconsin Hospital's Authority Board on Wednesday approved a plan to allow the Madison Surgery Center to perform second-trimester abortions, the AP/Twin Cities.com reports. The board voted 11-3 to allow the clinic to become the only facility in the area to offer abortions to women at 19 to 22 weeks' gestation. Madison's only other second-trimester abortion provider retired in December. Supporters of the plan said access to the procedure is necessary, especially in cases of fetal abnormalities, rape, incest or when the woman's life is in danger. Opponents pledged to boycott the hospital and hold protests at the clinic.

Board Chair David Walsh said that women have a constitutional right to receive a second-trimester abortion and that it is the hospital's "responsibility ... to provide full medical care." He added that possible backlash against the university is "worth the risk." Laurel Rice, chair of the hospital's department of obstetrics and gynecology, said that physicians estimate that they will perform about 120 second-trimester abortions annually, with about 25% involving fetal abnormalities and many others for women in dire situations. Rice said no other facility has "expressed willingness to fill this limited but important gap in service," adding that the plan would not use state tax dollars. She also said that clinic staff members would participate in the abortions voluntarily and that no one would be coerced into doing so.

According to the AP/Twin Cities.com, two Madison Surgery Center employees voiced opposition to the plan, saying that they believe a majority of the other 110 employees also would oppose it. In addition, Nancy Fredericks -- an anesthesiologist at the center -- said that because three of the four anesthesiologists at the center have issued statements refusing to participate in the abortions, she is unsure that the clinic would have the staff necessary to handle emergency complications that could arise. Walsh addressed this concern by saying that staffing issues would be handled to avoid compromising care. The plan will need final approval by the surgery center's full board, which could come at the end of the week, according to UW Health spokesperson Lisa Brunette. She added that it could take several weeks or months to implement the plan (Foley, AP/Twin Cities.com, 2/4).

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