Undercover investigation reveals that viability and fetal age are underestimated to avoid compliance with Kansas law. OR again calls for emergency closure of Tiller’s clinic.
Wichita, KS – Operation Rescue announces the release of results from an undercover investigation it recently conducted at George R. Tiller’s late-term abortion clinic, Women’s Health Care Services. Those results show compelling evidence that WHCS routinely underestimates the fetal age and viability of pre-born babies in order to avoid having to comply with Kansas law.
“The evidence shows there is no doubt that fetal ages and viability are being intentionally misstated by WHCS in order to do abortions that would otherwise be illegal,” said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman.
A pregnant Operation Rescue volunteer named Shaye offered to participate in the undercover investigation of WHCS in October, 2008.
In a sworn statement Shaye said that a WHCS employee conducted her sonogram and determined that her baby was 24 weeks, 6 days gestation, past the threshold of viability. The Tiller employee then tore off those ultrasound photos and threw them into the trash. She took new measurements, then told Shaye her baby was only 23 weeks gestation.
Shaye easily obtained an appointment for an abortion without having to see the second physician required by law for post-viability abortions.
In order to confirm the actual fetal age of Shaye’s baby, she received two more sonograms on that same day, both of which indicated the baby was beyond 24 weeks gestation. Shaye’s baby was undeniably past the threshold of viability.
Shaye had made WHCS aware that both she and her baby were healthy and that the pregnancy was without complications. Shaye did not receive the abortion only because she did not show up for the abortion appointment.
Operation Rescue’s investigation confirms the testimony of District Attorney Phill Kline who stated in court last week that evidence showed that Tiller was doing late-term abortions on healthy women with viable babies. Kline told the court that he saw evidence that Planned Parenthood referred women in such situations to Tiller for illegal abortions.
“This evidence warrants further investigation by law enforcement authorities,” said Newman. “This is convincing proof that, in spite of already facing 19 criminal charges, Tiller continues to flout the law to the danger of women and their babies.”
Operation Rescue calls on Attorney General Steve Six to launch a further investigation of Tiller, and renews its call on the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts for an emergency closure of WHCS and suspension of Tiller’s medical license.
View the full report. (Contains information not seen in the video.)
