Investigative

Egregious safety violations uncovered at Philadelphia abortion business

Philadelphia, abortion, abortion pill, abortion pills

The Pennsylvania Department of Health recently uncovered a list of health violations at the Philadelphia Women’s Center, an abortion business which employs abortionist Lisa Perriera, who in 2014 committed a 23-week abortion on Lakisha Wilson in Cleveland, Ohio, from which Wilson died.

Detailed within the report, the inspectors discovered the abortion business was acting in defiance of the Pennsylvania Abortion Control Act by committing abortions on minor girls without their parents’ knowledge or consent. Sadly, this was not the only way the facility failed to prioritize patient safety, as other negligent acts were discovered as well. 

In five of the ten medical records reviewed by the Health Department, it was found that the Philadelphia Women’s Center administered the abortion pill (RU-486) to teenage girls without parental oversight. These unlawful chemical abortions were found to have taken place in February, May, June, July, and November of 2019. National Right to Life noted:

The health inspection report states that a “request was made… on February 12, 2020, for a policy that addressed parental consent for medications that are included in the termination of a pregnancy for pediatric patients. None was provided.”

In case after case, the health department documents that “there was no parental or legal guardian consent” for the use of Mifepristone and Misoprostol, the drugs used in RU-486 abortions.

READ: Questions about the abortion pill? Live Action’s video playlist has answers.

While chemical abortions are a non-surgical procedure, they still carry the risk of harmful and even life-threatening complications. Often performed during the first trimester of pregnancy, a woman takes two pills, mifepristone and misoprostol, to abort her preborn child. After depriving the baby of necessary nutrients with mifepristone, the misoprostol expels the dead child by causing contractions. This often causes the mother to bleed heavily and endure painful cramps, sometimes lasting hours or days. 

 

According to the FDA, about 5-8% of women require a surgical procedure afterwards because of an incomplete chemical abortion. The actual number of complications tied to the abortion pill is difficult to track because many states are not required to report abortion complications. 

Since the inspectors only reviewed a sample of records, it’s possible there are more instances of minors obtaining abortions illegally, without proper parental oversight. Maria Gallagher, the legislative director of the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation, decried the actions of the abortion business. 

“It’s outrageous when an abortion center does not obtain parental consent for chemical abortions,” she said. “Parental rights should be honored—especially when it comes to abortion, which is the taking of an innocent, unrepeatable human life.” 

In addition to violating state laws regarding parental involvement with a minor’s abortion decision, the Health Department reported other concerns. In their inspection, it was found that the Philadelphia Women’s Center “failed to establish a patient safety committee, as required by the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error Act of 2002.” 

READ: When abortion complications aren’t properly tracked or reported, the industry can’t claim it’s safe

Back in February, the Health Department also reported that the facility had “failed to establish an infection control committee.” 

Time and again we have heard the abortion industry protest that abortion safety restrictions are unnecessary. But this report shows that facilities cannot be trusted to prioritize the needs of their patients. 

Despite claims to the contrary, parental consent laws prevent sexual predators from procuring abortions for their victims, something abortion businesses have a history of failing to report. These laws also protect minors from making impulsive decisions they may later regret. A Gallup poll from 2011 (the most recent date for polling on this particular issue) showed that 71% of Americans supported laws requiring parental consent before abortion. 

Editor’s Note: If you have taken the first drug in the abortion pill regimen (mifepristone) and regret it, there may be a chance to reverse the process. Visit AbortionPillReversal.com and view this video for further information.

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