MADISON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Planned Parenthood is once again offering abortion services in Wisconsin.
Providers across the state stopped the procedures when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.
In July, a judge ruled Wisconsin’s 144-year-old law does not apply to medical abortions.
“This is a really important first step,” said Michelle Velasquez, director of legal advocacy and services at Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin.
In light of that decision, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin is once again offering abortion services at clinics in Madison and Milwaukee as of Monday.
“We are saddened,” said Gracie Skogman, with Wisconsin Right to Life.
Prior to Roe v. Wade being overturned, abortions were available at three Planned Parenthood clinics in the state; Madison, Milwaukee and Sheboygan.
Velasquez says staffing allows for only two clinics to be open.
“We are looking forward in the coming weeks to increasing the capacities at both of those health centers and looking forward to in the coming weeks, resuming in our Sheboygan center as well.”
Velasquez says requirements are the same as before.
“There’s still a lot of restrictions,” she said. “The first step for someone seeking abortion services would be to make that day one appointment.”
Skogman says more than 20,000 babies across the U.S. are alive today because of Roe v. Wade’s reversal.
“We have seen so many lives that have been saved and lives changed, the lives of many of these women who now have their children here today because of Roe being overturned. We have seen that pregnancy resource centers are the best defense against the lies of the abortion movement saying abortion is the only option for women, and pregnancy resource centers show the opposite.”
Planned Parenthood did not say how many abortions have been performed, but says appointments at the Milwaukee clinic were completely filled within 24 hours of announcing services would resume.
“Prior to our suspension of abortion services last summer, annually anywhere from 5,000 to maybe 6,500 Wisconsinites sought out abortion services, so we know that this is a really needed form of health care,” said Velasquez.
“Our response to that is health care is focused on saving lives, not taking an innocent human life,” said Skogman.
The Madison and Milwaukee clinics offer the same services as before.
“Those two health centers provide both medication abortion and the procedural abortion services,” said Velasquez.
“Pregnancy resource centers in our state are open and they are ready and willing to step in and support women with any of these questions and challenges they may face,” said Skogman.
The continuation of abortions at clinics in Milwaukee and Madison, comes as the lawsuit challenging the state law continues in county court. It’s expected to eventually reach the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which flipped to liberal control on Aug. 1.
Democrats, including Gov. Tony Evers, praised the resumption of abortion services. Meanwhile, other anti-abortion rights groups in the state promised to continue fighting in court for the procedure to be outlawed.
