Clinics in Columbus and Dayton area to resume abortions up to 20 weeks into pregnancy
Patients and clinics in Ohio are wasting no time scheduling abortions after a judge temporarily blocked the state’s abortion ban, allowing abortions up to 20 weeks into pregnancy to go forward.
Hamilton County Common Pleas Court Judge Christian Jenkins ruled on Wednesday that the state Constitution might protect Ohioans' right to an abortion. The decision blocks Ohio’s ban on abortions after fetal cardiac activity is detected — which is typically around six weeks into pregnancy — for 14 days.
Abortion clinics in Columbus and the Dayton area are capitalizing on this while they can but hoping the order will be extended.
More on Ohio's abortion ban:Ohio's six-week abortion ban is on hold for at least 14 days. What you need to know
Aileen Day, communications director for Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio, said in a text that abortions after six weeks also will resume Monday at the Planned Parenthood clinic on Columbus' East Side.
A representative of the Women's Med Center in Kettering, near Dayton, said abortions up until 14 weeks of pregnancy will resume there Monday.
"We'll then move up a couple weeks at a time as we staff up again and get going," she said.
Word of the temporary restraining order on Ohio's ban spread quickly, with Women's Med Center booking 30 patients for surgical and medication abortions over the course of six hours on Thursday. Prior to Roe v. Wade being overturned, the clinic typically booked 20 patients per day, the representative said.
"We're very happy to be serving the women of Ohio again and we hope it continues," said a spokesperson for the Women's Med Center.
The spokesperson said the clinic is even seeing patients from as far away as Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky and Texas.
People are confused about what's legal, where to go
Kellie Copland, executive director of Pro-Choice Ohio said it’s been very difficult for people to keep up with where abortions are available. The rules about at what point of pregnancy abortion is legal have been very fluid in Ohio and across the country since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on June 24, she said.
The Women's Med Center spokesperson said they "still have patients who call in and don't even know (about the restraining order). The women are very confused by the whole thing."
Abortion ban poll:2 of 3 Ohio adults oppose banning abortion at 6 weeks
On the same day abortion became legal in Ohio, the almost total ban went into effect in Indiana. A day later, on Friday, West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice signed into law a near-total ban on abortions
“Many people in Ohio before this was put into place, if they were able to, were going to Indiana. Abortion access has ebbed and flowed in Kentucky as well,” she said. “I really encourage people, if they do need care, to contact a clinic in their area and simply ask.”
Abortion is currently illegal in Kentucky with few exceptions after the courts temporarily put the state's trigger-law ban on hold and then reinstated the law.
Copeland, said she’s grateful the Hamilton County judge has stepped in at least for now to stop the suffering of Ohioans who need abortions.
Related article:The day that Roe v. Wade fell: Panic, praise at Ohio's abortion clinics
“Obviously, we hope that the temporary restraining order will be extended by a preliminary injunction and that abortion access will be restored on a more permanent basis while this case goes to trial and works its way through the court system,” Copeland said.
A spokesperson for Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost did not return a call requesting comment.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio clinics resume abortions up to 20 weeks into pregnancy
