By Anne Reed, Senior Policy Advisor
As a pro-life advocacy organization that works unrelentingly to expose the abortion cartel, Operation Rescue continues to report on the ongoing pattern of frightening medical emergencies happening at abortion facilities across the country. A total of 39 medical emergencies were documented in 2024. Of these critical incidents, 13 were linked to Planned Parenthood clinics.
While these 39 cases represent a snapshot of the broader issue, they serve as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by patients in such clinics. The true scope of life-threatening emergencies occurring nationwide is far greater than what has been captured by this report alone. Each documented case provides a glimpse into an ongoing larger trend within the abortion industry, highlighting the dangers as well as the critical need for transparency and accountability.
Abortion clinics go to great lengths to hide and downplay the injuries caused by abortionists, abortion clinic staff, and under-regulated abortion inducing drugs. And there is still no national vehicle counting abortion deaths and injuries across the United States.
Operation Rescue strives to reveal the abortion cartel’s misconduct, misleading practices, negligence, and attempts to conceal critical emergencies – further endangering women when vital information is withheld from emergency medical personnel.
Most of these critical, life-threatening emergencies involved severe hemorrhaging, often resulting from surgical instruments causing internal organ punctures during abortion procedures. Operation Rescue’s extensive annual survey of the abortion industry revealed that surgical clinics are on the uptick – the first time since the 2009 inception of Operation Rescue’s annual survey.
The increasing availability of surgical abortions is likely fueled by the growing number of abortion pill suppliers who mail pills without operating a physical location, decreasing the demand for brick-and-mortar pill-only clinics. Generally, these trends indicate greater risks for women, whether they choose surgical in-clinic abortions or self-administered pills that offer minimal to no medical supervision,” said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman.
Far too many women have lost their lives due to this underregulated industry. Operation Rescue’s archive of documented abortion-related maternal fatalities. In 2024, the names of two women were added to this very long list of women who lost their lives after believing abortion was their answer:
Candi Miller, age 41, and Amber Nicole Thurman, age 28. Thurman died after traveling to North Carolina where she received the Mifepristone/Misoprostol drugs and went home to die with no medical oversight.
Miller died after securing and ingesting mail-order abortion-inducing drugs from a company that illegally mailed the pills to Georgia – a state that protects unborn children after a heartbeat is detected.
Unfortunately, as Operation works to reveal the risks women face when placing their trust in abortionists, cities, counties, and states are increasingly delaying, heavily redacting, or outright denying the release of public records that inform the public about these dangers. Operation Rescue is exploring legal action in response to some of the most severe violations.
Valued Sidewalk Counselors
The documentation process for these emergencies involves the efforts of dedicated pro-life prayer warriors who witness ambulances on site and report these incidents to Operation Rescue. These individuals, often community members concerned about the lives of innocent unborn children, as well as public safety, play a pivotal role in ensuring that such events do not go unnoticed. Their reports become the foundation for a more in-depth investigative process conducted by Operation Rescue.
But these compassionate, courageous individuals and groups are not always there. And, sadly, some abortion clinics have no pro-life coverage at all.
The Biden Department of Justice (DOJ) worked diligently to strongly dissuade pro-life representation on the sidewalks of abortion clinics. A weaponized DOJ relentlessly persecuted pro-life rescuers and threw many in prison.
Operation Rescue has spoken on their behalf and encouraged prayer, letters, support, and signatures on a petition to pardon these heroes serving unjust sentences. As a group, these persecuted individuals received Operation Rescue’s 2024 Malachi Award. Malachi, the last Old Testament prophet, was known for delivering a message of correction and challenge to the Israelites during a time of moral and spiritual decline.
“Biblical rebukes like this are not welcome in a nation plunging into moral corruption,” said Newman. “We applaud those who fearlessly shine the light of truth in a world overshadowed by darkness.”
Investigative Reporting
Upon receiving initial reports and evidence from these sidewalk counselors, Operation Rescue initiates a comprehensive review process to verify the details of each emergency. This process, carefully developed over many years, is guided by a commitment to accuracy and thoroughness, ensuring that every case is properly documented. Central to these investigative efforts is the use of state freedom of information laws, which mandate the public release of 911 records. These records serve as vital pieces of evidence, providing official accounts of the emergencies in question.
The availability of 911 records is crucial for shedding light on the circumstances surrounding each medical emergency. By accessing these public documents, Operation Rescue can corroborate eyewitness testimonies with official data, offering a clearer picture of the events that transpired. This transparency not only supports the credibility of their findings but also underscores the importance of public access to emergency response information.
National Impact
“The findings reported by Operation Rescue call attention to the need for greater oversight and regulatory scrutiny of these dangerous, uncaring, profit-driven killing centers,” said Newman. “Unfortunately, states with liberal leadership continually move in the opposite direction, increasing these grave dangers to women. What we have in many states is state approved back-alley abortion clinics – only proving the talking points of the abortion cartel and media to be fake news.”
Operation Rescue works to play a vital role in holding institutions accountable by documenting and publicizing such incidents and filing complaints to the appropriate regulatory agencies.
This work not only raises public awareness but also encourages policymakers to take necessary steps to protect innocent children and uninformed and misinformed mothers. In conclusion, the 39 medical emergencies documented by Operation Rescue, including 13 linked to Planned Parenthood facilities, serve as a critical reminder of the ongoing need for caring pro-lifers to be present at these dangerous facilities warning moms and giving them life-affirming options, and also capturing video and photos and reporting incidents to Operation Rescue. The diligent work of onlookers and the investigative efforts guided by state freedom of information laws help bring these incidents to light.
This report may be republished with inclusion of the following acknowledgement: “This article was originally published by Operation Rescue, a leading pro-life, Christian activist organization dedicated to exposing abortion abuses, demanding enforcement, saving innocent lives, and building an abortion-free America. The author, Anne Reed, is Senior Policy Advisor for Operation Rescue.”
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