According to recent data from Planned Parenthood, about 56% of the patients coming to their New Mexico facilities are now from Texas. This, coupled with increased demand for abortion services overall, has caused many of the New Mexico Planned Parenthood facilities to limit non-abortion services, referring patients elsewhere for other reproductive health needs.
This surge of out of state patients is said to be the result of Texas’ “trigger” law, which went into effect when Roe v. Wade was overturned, protecting preborn children in the state. States bordering Texas all passed similar laws, except for New Mexico, making it one of the states that has begun to market itself as an abortion destination.
New Mexico is part of the regional group Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains. Adrienne Mansanares, the president and CEO of the region, said she is concerned about not being able to meet the recent increased demand for abortion. Meanwhile, patients are being referred to other health clinics for services like birth control, pregnancy tests, and testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
According to Mansanares, Planned Parenthood is one of a dozen practitioners across the state authorized to commit abortions, so abortion has now become Planned Parenthood’s priority, in an attempt to decrease abortion waiting times currently alleged to be at 14 days or more. Despite the fact that Planned Parenthood has long administered the abortion pill past the FDA-approved gestational limit of 10 weeks, the current wait times are seen as an obstacle.
Planned Parenthood is attempting to expand their presence in New Mexico, a plan that is supported by the state government. New Mexico is known for having some of the most radical abortion laws in the nation, and recently approved $10 million dollars of state funding to be used for a new abortion facility. Planned Parenthood plans to offer chemical abortions at all of their locations; an estimated 53% of all abortions are now by abortion pill in the U.S.
According to the NM Political Report, Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains locations saw 70% of their patients undergoing chemical abortions in 2022. Being forced to let go of some of their legitimate health care services reveals what the affiliate’s true focus and source of profit was all along.
