This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jul/02/mississippi-abortion-clinic-reprieve
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Mississippi abortion clinic granted eleventh-hour reprieve | Mississippi abortion clinic granted eleventh-hour reprieve |
| (9 months later) | |
| Mississippi's only reproductive health clinic was handed an eleventh-hour reprieve from closure late on Sunday, thwarting attempts by social conservatives to create America's first abortion-free state. In a ruling handed down just hours before the Jackson Women's Health Organisation was due to start turning away women seeking terminations, a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction blocking a law that would have shuttered the centre. Diane Derzis, owner of the clinic, said she was "jubilant" at the news, adding that it would allow her team of physicians to carry on providing safe, legal abortions in the state. She had earlier warned that closing the clinic would have pushed some vulnerable women into the hands of backstreet operators. | Mississippi's only reproductive health clinic was handed an eleventh-hour reprieve from closure late on Sunday, thwarting attempts by social conservatives to create America's first abortion-free state. In a ruling handed down just hours before the Jackson Women's Health Organisation was due to start turning away women seeking terminations, a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction blocking a law that would have shuttered the centre. Diane Derzis, owner of the clinic, said she was "jubilant" at the news, adding that it would allow her team of physicians to carry on providing safe, legal abortions in the state. She had earlier warned that closing the clinic would have pushed some vulnerable women into the hands of backstreet operators. |
| Under rules due to have been enforced from 1 July, physicians in Mississippi would have been barred from carrying out terminations without first being registered as a practitioner with privileges to admit patients to a local hospital. | Under rules due to have been enforced from 1 July, physicians in Mississippi would have been barred from carrying out terminations without first being registered as a practitioner with privileges to admit patients to a local hospital. |
| None of the doctors at the clinic currently meet that requirement, which has been described by pro-choice campaigners as "medically unjustified". | None of the doctors at the clinic currently meet that requirement, which has been described by pro-choice campaigners as "medically unjustified". |
| As such, the new requirements had threatened the closure of a Jackson clinic, a centre that has been running for 17 years in the face of threats, protest and opposition from religious conservatives in the state. | As such, the new requirements had threatened the closure of a Jackson clinic, a centre that has been running for 17 years in the face of threats, protest and opposition from religious conservatives in the state. |
| Derzis has consistently claimed that the new legislation was designed explicitly with the intention of forcing her clinic out of business and had little to do with the safety of patients. | Derzis has consistently claimed that the new legislation was designed explicitly with the intention of forcing her clinic out of business and had little to do with the safety of patients. |
| Doctors at the centre note that the number of women who experience a complication during an abortion that requires treatment at a hospital is extremely low – less than 0.3% according to the sexual health thinktank the Guttmacher Institute. | Doctors at the centre note that the number of women who experience a complication during an abortion that requires treatment at a hospital is extremely low – less than 0.3% according to the sexual health thinktank the Guttmacher Institute. |
| In any case, the clinic has an agreement with a local physician who will admit the centre's clients should the need arise. | In any case, the clinic has an agreement with a local physician who will admit the centre's clients should the need arise. |
| "There has been no subtlety here, they are proud of the fact that the law would make Mississippi abortion-free," Derzis said, prior to the legislation's late night injunction. | "There has been no subtlety here, they are proud of the fact that the law would make Mississippi abortion-free," Derzis said, prior to the legislation's late night injunction. |
| Certainly, top officials in the state have made no secret about wanting to shutter the centre. | Certainly, top officials in the state have made no secret about wanting to shutter the centre. |
| Republican governor Phil Bryant has said on a number of occasions that he doesn't want abortions carried out in the state. | Republican governor Phil Bryant has said on a number of occasions that he doesn't want abortions carried out in the state. |
| "If it closes that clinic, then so be it," Bryant said in April as he signed the new requirements into law. | "If it closes that clinic, then so be it," Bryant said in April as he signed the new requirements into law. |
| The move would have forced those seeking terminations to travel hundreds of miles and cross state lines to have the procedure performed legally. | The move would have forced those seeking terminations to travel hundreds of miles and cross state lines to have the procedure performed legally. |
| The next nearest clinics to Jackson are approximately three hours drive away, with most neighbouring states requiring a mandatory waiting period and some, such as Louisiana, requiring two trips. | The next nearest clinics to Jackson are approximately three hours drive away, with most neighbouring states requiring a mandatory waiting period and some, such as Louisiana, requiring two trips. |
| As such, Derzis believes that if her clinic was to close, it would lead to a rise in vulnerable women going to non-registered abortionists. | As such, Derzis believes that if her clinic was to close, it would lead to a rise in vulnerable women going to non-registered abortionists. |
| "There is no question about it, some women are going to do whatever it takes," she said, adding: "This doesn't affect women with money so much, it is the women who are poor, with no resources that will suffer." | "There is no question about it, some women are going to do whatever it takes," she said, adding: "This doesn't affect women with money so much, it is the women who are poor, with no resources that will suffer." |
| Mississippi, one of the poorest states in America, also has one of the highest rates of teen pregnancy – more than 60% above the national average. | Mississippi, one of the poorest states in America, also has one of the highest rates of teen pregnancy – more than 60% above the national average. |
| Figures from the state's health department reveal that 2,297 abortions were performed in the state in 2010, with the vast majority of these terminations carried out by doctors at the Jackson clinic. | Figures from the state's health department reveal that 2,297 abortions were performed in the state in 2010, with the vast majority of these terminations carried out by doctors at the Jackson clinic. |
| Sunday's last minute reprieve follows the filing of a legal challenge by the New York-based Centre for Reproductive Rights. | Sunday's last minute reprieve follows the filing of a legal challenge by the New York-based Centre for Reproductive Rights. |
| They had sought a temporary restraining order, preventing the ban's immediate implementation as well as a permanent striking down of the new requirements as unconstitutional. Under the terms of Sunday's ruling the new law will be shelved until at the earliest a hearing scheduled for 11 July. Responding to the news, Nancy Northup, president of the Centre for Reproductive Rights said: "While we are pleased the court has decided to temporarily block enforcement of this medically unwarranted restriction, this battle is far from over. "We will continue to fight alongside the Jackson Women's Health Organization to ensure that the women of Mississippi are not relegated to a second class of US citizens, denied the constitutionally-protected rights that other women nationwide are guaranteed." | They had sought a temporary restraining order, preventing the ban's immediate implementation as well as a permanent striking down of the new requirements as unconstitutional. Under the terms of Sunday's ruling the new law will be shelved until at the earliest a hearing scheduled for 11 July. Responding to the news, Nancy Northup, president of the Centre for Reproductive Rights said: "While we are pleased the court has decided to temporarily block enforcement of this medically unwarranted restriction, this battle is far from over. "We will continue to fight alongside the Jackson Women's Health Organization to ensure that the women of Mississippi are not relegated to a second class of US citizens, denied the constitutionally-protected rights that other women nationwide are guaranteed." |
| guardian.co.uk today is our daily snapshot of the top news stories, sent to your inbox at 8am |