By Cheryl Sullenger
Walnut Creek, CA — A 29-year old woman who received an abortion at Planned Parenthood in Walnut Creek, California, had difficulty coming out of sedation and experienced abnormal, ineffective breathing that prompted a call to 911 for help.
The call recording and Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) printout were obtained by Operation Rescue. The records, along with eye witness accounts and photographs from pro-life activists, provided details of the emergency as the dramatic events unfolded.
“We have a patient here who we were doing a procedure on. She was given fentanyl, and [?] or versed. She is having a slow response to the medication as far as coming out of it. We gave Narcan, but she is still not –.”
Narcan is a drug that counteracts the effects of narcotics, but it did not seem to work on the unconscious woman, who was not breathing normally at the time of the call.
“She’s breathing, but her oxygen saturation is not really high…The last time I checked it was 91,” the Planned Parenthood caller said.
Planned Parenthood was instructed by the 911 operator, “If you have a defibrillator, have somebody go get it now in case we need it later. We are on the way. We’ll be there shortly.”
However, the CAD noted, “No defib available.”
A defibrillator, which is used to shock the heart in the event of cardiac arrest, is an essential piece of emergency equipment.
“It is completely irresponsible for Planned Parenthood to conduct surgical abortions under sedation without a defibrillator on hand in the event of a medical emergency like the one this woman experienced,” said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. “By not having one available, Planned Parenthood placed this woman’s life in danger, along with every other woman who had an abortion there.”
An ambulance was dispatched with Priority 1, meaning it was a serious emergency that required the use of lights and sirens. It was also issued a “Code 12,” which denotes that there were “visitors present” – an obvious reference to the pro-life activists who were on the scene praying and offering help to women – and that “discretion” should be used.
Once the fire and ambulance units arrived, four first-responders entered Planned Parenthood. According to the CAD, they emerged after 16 minutes with the woman on the gurney. One pro-life witness told Operation Rescue that she was covered from chest to head with a “tarp.”
A Planned Parenthood worker came out and gave the woman’s clothing to a man who had been waiting in the parking lot. A fireman appeared in one photo to be consoling him.
Pro-life activists on the scene were concerned at first that the woman may have died. One called out to a fireman with her concerns, but received no response.
Thankfully, according to the CAD, the woman appeared to have improved somewhat after the EMT’s arrival. She was transported to Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Walnut Creek with a priority code indicating that it was an urgent emergency, but was not thought to be life-threatening. No lights or sirens were required, and the pro-life activists, never heard any as the ambulance drove away.
“While things seemed to work out for this woman, Planned Parenthood’s lack of critical emergency equipment showed a callous disregard for her welfare,” said Newman. “We have no record that this facility has ever been inspected even though we routinely seek such records. We know that when abortion facilities are not held accountable for maintaining standards, conditions and practices deteriorate, placing women in further danger. There’s no doubt that this Planned Parenthood is dangerous and should be shut down.”
The Walnut Creek Planned Parenthood is a repeat offender when it comes to harming women during abortions. On October 6, 2017, one woman was hospitalized with unknown complications. Then on May 14, 2019, a 22-year old woman who was experiencing severe pain was transported by ambulance to the hospital.
