Chicago abortion clinic opens offering controversial third-trimester abortions
Abortion provider Hope Clinic, in Granite City, opened a second location in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood on June 2, advertising that it now offers "all-trimester" abortions.
"Hope Clinic is now open in Chicago, IL, expanding our care through all trimesters! (And OMG we couldn't be more excited)," the clinic posted on Instagram. "Everyone deserves access to abortion care, whenever they need it. Because deciding and acting on what's best for you shouldn't be on anyone else's timeline."
The clinic explains on its website that it offers surgical abortion procedures to women up to 34 weeks into their pregnancy.
According to a report by The Chicago Tribune, the clinic is "the only standalone clinic in the Midwest to offer often-controversial terminations in the third trimester and among only a handful that do so nationwide."
Under Illinois law, women can get an abortion for any reason up to the point of fetal viability, around 24 weeks.
Abortions are allowed later in pregnancy if the mother's health or well-being, "including, but not limited to, physical, emotional, psychological, and familial health and age," is considered threatened by the pregnancy, according to the state's Reproductive Health Act.
The clinic's website explained in a social media post some of the reasons why women might want to get "later abortions."
Some women "don't know" they are pregnant until further along, while others "learn new information," such as a fetal anomaly diagnosis. Some women aren't able to "access care" earlier in their pregnancy, according to the post. Lastly, it says, some women "just don't want to be pregnant."
"You get to change your mind and make decisions that are right for you. And they don't have to be on anyone else's timeline," the clinic's post reads.
Dr. Erin King, Hope Clinic chief medical officer, told the Tribune that they would be following the law while ensuring as many people can access abortion as possible.
"I want people to know that we are absolutely following the law, but that we make a really careful determination," she said. "And we want to provide access to as many people as we can within the law."
At 34 weeks, a baby can weigh around 5 lbs and the pregnancy is considered "near-term." Over 90% of babies born after 28 weeks, the beginning of the third trimester, typically survive outside the womb, according to one 2022 study.
According to a 2023 Gallup poll, majorities of Americans oppose legal abortion in the second (55%) and third (70%) trimesters.
A local pro-life activist told the Tribune that he appreciated the clinic's transparency but believed that most people would consider abortions at this stage "brutality."
"Almost everyone recognizes the brutality of an abortion that late in pregnancy," Eric Scheidler, executive director of the Chicago-based Pro-Life Action League, told the paper. "I think it's a common ground area we have with a lot of people. As alarming as it is for someone like me who cares about fetal life, life in the womb, and who cares about the fate of women who participate in the demise of their child, on another level I appreciate the honesty and openness. Because it allows us to have a frank conversation about what late-term abortion really is."
Anne O'Connor, VP of Legal Affairs at pro-life organization The National Institute of Family and Life Advocates, told Fox News Digital that babies in the third trimester are "fully formed, unique human beings" and called abortions at this stage "especially gruesome and unnecessary."
"This is a shameful situation and ironic that it is happening at a place called 'Hope.' There is no hope in that ghastly chamber - just despair and destruction," she told Fox News Digital. "The sad thing is that it is legal because the United States is one of the few countries in the world that does not put any limits on late term abortions. We are joined by the likes of China, Vietnam and South Korea in destroying human beings in this horrific and appalling manner. The network of pregnancy centers in the U.S. is enormous and ready to help these women who feel abortion is their best option."
Hope Clinic defended their services in a comment to Fox News Digital:
"Hope Clinic provides compassionate abortion care throughout pregnancy, in full accordance with Illinois law. We need to ensure that people who experience health complications during pregnancy have access to a full range of treatment options. With abortion bans around the country forcing more people to delay their care and travel longer distances, expanding access to later abortion care is even more important. All people deserve access to high-quality health care throughout pregnancy without arbitrary restrictions, and we are committed to providing this care so our patients can make the best decisions for themselves and their families."
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Yahoo
4 hours ago
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USA Today
4 hours ago
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5 hours ago
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