Nearly two months after Missouri voters approved a constitutional amendment to legalize abortion, the procedure remains out of reach for many residents in the state. Planned Parenthood is now urging a Jackson County judge to block remaining state regulations that continue to hinder access to abortion services.
Court Hearing Seeks to Restore Access to Abortion Services
On Friday, a judge in Jackson County, Missouri, heard arguments from Planned Parenthood, requesting an injunction to eliminate the remaining regulations that prevent clinics from offering abortion services in the state. Despite the passage of Amendment 3—legalizing abortion in Missouri—many barriers remain.
In December 2024, Jackson County Judge Jerri Zhang ruled to suspend several key restrictions, including the notorious “targeted regulation of abortion provider” (TRAP) laws. These included a 72-hour waiting period before an abortion and a requirement that physicians performing the procedure hold admitting privileges at nearby hospitals. However, some regulations stayed in place, such as the state’s licensing requirements for abortion providers and mandates for a pelvic exam before prescribing medication for abortion.
These remaining regulations are preventing Missouri’s Planned Parenthood clinics from offering services to those in need, despite the change in the law. On Friday afternoon, Zhang again listened to both sides as Planned Parenthood and the Missouri Attorney General’s office debated whether further injunctions should be issued.
Regulations Continue to Block Clinics from Offering Abortion Services
Eleanor Spottswood, an attorney for Planned Parenthood, told the court that abortion access in Missouri is still effectively blocked. “We have still not been able to restore abortion access in Missouri,” Spottswood said, describing the persistent hurdles that continue to affect patients.
While some of the TRAP laws have been struck down, Spottswood argued that licensing requirements for clinics, as well as the pelvic exam mandate, are still preventing the full restoration of abortion services. If these regulations were lifted, she said, Planned Parenthood could begin offering medication abortions at all nine clinics across the state within a week. The organization is also hopeful that they could hire and train staff to begin performing surgical abortions at their clinics in St. Louis and Kansas City.
Pelvic Exams Remain a Central Point of Contention
One of the primary points of contention during Friday’s hearing was the requirement for a pelvic exam before the prescription of abortion medication. Planned Parenthood’s legal team argues that the exam is invasive and unnecessary for patients seeking medication abortions. According to Spottswood, clinics have other methods available to assess whether a pregnancy is at risk of being ectopic, a condition where the fertilized egg implants outside the uterus.
Missouri Solicitor General Joshua Divine, on the other hand, defended the pelvic exam as part of “routine care,” insisting that it should remain a required step for any abortion procedure, including medication abortions.
Judge Zhang appeared to question whether the pelvic exam law applied equally to hospitals, asking if hospitals could perform abortions under the terms of Amendment 3. Spottswood responded that while hospitals could technically provide abortions, it’s unlikely any would. Divine concurred, acknowledging that, in practice, abortion services remain “very, very rare” at Missouri hospitals, further complicating access.
The Future of Abortion Access in Missouri
If Judge Zhang rules in Planned Parenthood’s favor, the clinics hope to move quickly to expand abortion services across the state. However, much uncertainty remains. The state continues to argue that abortion access via mail or out-of-state travel should be enough for Missouri residents, questioning whether Planned Parenthood has the standing to seek further legal action.
Spottswood and Planned Parenthood have made clear their intent to fight for full access to abortion services in Missouri. Without a broader injunction, Spottswood warned that the state would continue to enforce the remaining regulations in the most obstructive ways possible, further limiting access to the procedure.
As the case continues to unfold, the battle for reproductive rights in Missouri remains at a standstill, with clinics and advocacy groups pushing for full restoration of abortion access under the new law.
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