Last Friday, Planned Parenthood Chapel Hill required emergency transport for yet another woman with uncontrolled bleeding. This is the fourth reported emergency in just five months. Operation Rescue documented another emergency back in February 2022.

On May 5, advocates on the sidewalk spotted an ambulance leaving the facility around 9:45 a.m. A public records request revealed that Planned Parenthood staff called 911 for a 37-year-old woman experiencing uncontrolled bleeding after an abortion procedure. The frequency of these 911 calls for hemorrhaging only reiterate how ill-equipped abortion clinics are for serious complications, putting women in grave danger.

See computer-aided dispatch transcript here.

Just one day before this woman found herself in need of an ambulance, the North Carolina legislature passed the Care for Women, Children and Families Act (SB20), a pro-life bill that would roll back gestational limits to 12 weeks, with exceptions, as well as create better health standards for existing clinics. This would include common sense requirements like reporting and informed consent.

Gov. Roy Cooper (D) — who has vowed to veto the bill, despite a supermajority that can override his decision — has been especially critical of the new health standards contained in the bill, calling them “medically unnecessary requirements.” Both he and Planned Parenthood South Atlantic have loudly lamented the “obstacles” this bill will create for clinics they claim will be unable to meet new healthcare standards.

“Of course they’ll be unable to meet them,” President of Operation Rescue Troy Newman comments. “Planned Parenthood Chapel Hill is already failing in this respect, offering subpar care that keeps landing women in the emergency room for abortion injuries. This state clearly needs to up its standards and its enforcement. Perhaps Governor Cooper should spend more time supporting ways to protect these women and less time proselytizing on behalf of a dangerous abortion industry with documented infractions.”

Gov. Cooper has ten days to veto the bill. He is spending that time organizing events in the districts of Republican legislators he hopes to pressure into backing down from supporting a legislative override. Though the GOP has a supermajority in the House and the Senate, both are only by one vote.

Fr. Terry Gensemer, Director of CEC for Life, adds, “We are continuously praying that this life-affirming bill, which will save thousands of preborn lives, quickly becomes law in North Carolina. However, no matter the outcome, we will continue working to expose the great harm these abortion clinics cause in every community. These ongoing abortion injuries need to be investigated by the state immediately, and Planned Parenthood Chapel Hill should be held accountable for any wrongdoing.”

Operation Rescue and CEC for Life are continuing to work with local pro-life citizens and organizations in the Durham-Chapel Hill area, submitting complaints, contacting appropriate state officials, and gaining momentum for an effective public campaign.

Though the first complaint was submitted in February of this year, with two more complaints submitted in the months that followed, there is no evidence that an investigation has taken place. In fact, according to public records, the last inspection at this clinic took place in July 2021, nearly two years ago.

Newman adds, “The concern of pro-life citizens observing injured woman after injured woman carted away from this clinic is appropriate and deserves to be heard. Operation Rescue and CEC For Life are committed to assisting this pro-life community in exposing this treacherous facility.”

ACTION ITEM: 

Gov. Roy Cooper is targeting these four legislators, hoping to intimidate them from overriding his veto. Please contact these legislators TODAY! Thank them for standing for common sense laws that DO protect women and encourage them to stand by the life-affirming Care for Women, Children and Families Act (SB20).

Rep. Ted Davis (HD-20, New Hanover County)

EMAIL: Ted.Davis@ncleg.gov

PHONE: 919-733-5786

Rep. John Bradford (HD-98, Mecklenburg County)

EMAIL: John.Bradford@ncleg.gov

PHONE: 919-733-5828

Rep. Tricia Cotham (HD-112, Mecklenburg County)

EMAIL: Tricia.Cotham@ncleg.gov

PHONE: 919-733-5749

Sen. Michael Lee (SD-09, New Hanover County)

EMAIL: Michael.Lee@ncleg.gov

PHONE: 919-715-2525