Missouri abortion clinic refusing to do state-mandated second pelvic exam; It ‘is just assault’

Officials at Planned Parenthood of St. Louis, Missouri’s last facility able to provide legal abortions in the state, said in an interview Wednesday they will defy a state-mandated second pelvic exam, claiming it’s “assault”

Missouri state law mandates that two pelvic exams are to be done before an abortion is completed, which the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says is “unwarranted, invasive, and not supported by evidence.”

“We are choosing to provide the best quality, patient-centered care that we’ve always provided at Planned Parenthood and that includes doing things that are driven by science, by evidence, and by what’s medically appropriate,” Dr. David Eisenberg, the clinic’s medical director, told CBS News.

“Over the last few weeks, I have new evidence to say that 100% of the patients who I’ve taken care of who’ve undergone this inappropriate, medically unnecessary, unethical pelvic exam have been harmed by that,” said Dr. Eisenberg. “Because to do so, in my opinion, is just assault.”

This rule-breaking will likely put a clinic already in the government’s crosshairs in even more dire straits, as it could shut down by the end of the week.

An annual inspection by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services found 30 deficiencies and the clinic was supposed to close on May 31st.

The clinic sued, claiming the state was “weaponizing” the licensing process and would make Missouri the first state to have no legal access to abortion since the Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade.

A state judge ruled Monday that the clinic will remain open while a battle over its application renewal unfolds, ordering the health department to make a decision on their license by Friday.

This fight over Missouri’s last abortion clinic comes shortly after six states, including Missouri, passed legislation limiting abortions.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson signed a bill in May preventing an abortion past eight weeks into a pregnancy, including for cases of rape and incest.

The law has yet to be enacted and likely faces a court challenge.

• Valarie Richardson contributed to this report.