Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat from Illinois, called for a special session to strengthen abortion rights. He anticipated that women from other states would flock to Illinois for abortion services.
A group of 20 anti-abortion protesters prayed and held signs at a Planned Parenthood clinic near Waukegan in Illinois, just miles from Wisconsin border.
Mary Jane Maharry spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood of Illinois. She stated that the clinic was opened in 2020 to prepare for Roe being overturned. Wisconsin would ban abortions. “We do have enough staff to meet the needs today and we are working at increasing our staff to meet the anticipated surge of 20,000 to 30,000 additional out-of-state patients per year,” she said.
In Charleston, W. Va., the state’s lone abortion clinic ended all appointments, fearing that an abortion ban from the 19th century was suddenly enforceable again after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
A 21-year-old West Virginia woman was pregnant and made one of the appointments on Thursday. She had checked her readiness to have a baby and decided she wasn’t ready.
Friday saw a clinic worker call to inform the woman. The condition of anonymity was necessary because she feared that her parents would divorce her if they found out she was planning to have an unplanned pregnancy.
“When I went to bed, I had my appointment and everything was set,” she said, “and then today it’s like pre-1973.”
Reporting was provided by Nicholas Bogel–Burroughs, Aurelien Breeden, Robert Chiarito, Emily Cochrane, Jimmie E. Gates, Carey Gillam, Victoria KimAnd Erica Sweeney.
Source: NY Times
