Univ. Of Wis. Health System Drops Plan To Offer Second-Trimester Abortion Care

Main Category: Abortion
Article Date: 16 Dec 2010 - 5:00 PDT


The University of Wisconsin's health system has abandoned a plan to offer second-trimester abortion services at its Madison Surgery Center, the AP/Channel 3000 reports (AP/Channel 3000, 12/13). The health system's board approved a plan in February 2009 to create the Madison area's only facility offering abortion care at 19 to 22 weeks' gestation (Women's Health Policy Report, 2/6/09).

In a statement on Monday, UW Health officials said the "open and multi-purpose nature" of the surgery center "makes it very difficult to guarantee the safety and security that all patients deserve." The officials are not exploring an alternative site. The surgery center was the "best option within our system, but we could not achieve the level of security we think is necessary," a spokesperson said.

Abortion-rights opponents strongly opposed the plan. This May, they circulated a letter from the state attorney general's office suggesting that the health system had dropped the plan, but system officials countered that they remained committed to providing the procedure (AP/Channel 3000, 12/13).

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