Abortions to resume in Missouri after a judge blocks restrictions

Missouri judge blocks abortion restrictions, Planned Parenthood prepares to resume services, citing politically motivated barriers to care.

Abortions are set to resume in Missouri after a judge blocked regulations that had restricted providers even after voters approved enshrining abortion rights into the State’s constitution.

Friday's ruling came after a Kansas City judge ruled last year that abortions were now legal in the State but kept certain regulations on the books while a lawsuit by abortion-rights advocates played out.

One regulation required abortion facilities to be licensed by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Planned Parenthood said most of its facilities could not comply with some of the licensing rules, including “medically irrelevant” size requirements for hallways, rooms and doors.

Planned Parenthood argued that the licensing law required providers to give “medically unnecessary and invasive” pelvic exams to anyone receiving an abortion, including medication abortions, according to court documents. The plaintiffs also said some of the regulations on Planned Parenthood centers were so strict, “most health centers or doctors’ office simply do not meet” them.

Jackson County Circuit Judge Jerri Zhang said in her ruling that the licensing requirement is “facially discriminatory because it does not treat services provided in abortion facilities the same as other types of similarly situated health care, including miscarriage care.”

Voters approved the measure adding abortion rights to the constitution in November. That amendment did not legalize abortion in the state outright but instead required judges to reconsider laws that had almost completely banned the procedure.

Margot Riphagen, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, said the group is working quickly to start providing the procedure again in the coming days.