By Cheryl Sullenger
Chicago, IL – The Near North Planned Parenthood in Chicago, Illinois, has once again demonstrated just how unsafe abortions really are.
For the twenty-second time in the past five years an ambulance was called to that Planned Parenthood facility, located in an urban minority neighborhood on North LaSalle Drive.
The most recent known incident took place on July 10, 2020, according to a 911 call recording and Computer Aided Dispatch printout provided to Operation Rescue by the Pro-Life Action League.
“You know what? We have a patient here who’s just bleeding excessively,” the Planned Parenthood caller told a 911 dispatcher after waiting 52 seconds for her call to be transferred to the ambulance dispatcher — an eternity in the midst of a life-threatening emergency.
“Vaginal bleeding? In excess?” asked the dispatcher, who seemed to know what kind of emergency to expect from Planned Parenthood.
The 24-year old hemorrhaging woman was still conscious and breathing at the time of the call. An ambulance was dispatched Priority 1A, indicating an urgent response was needed for someone suffering from trauma.
From February 2016 through July 2020, Planned Parenthood has averaged one medical emergency requiring ambulance transport every two and a half months, although there are records of bungled abortions going back many years before that.
The Near North Planned Parenthood is believed* to have been the location of at least one botched abortion that resulted in a maternal death. Tonya Reaves, a 24-year old African American, had reported to Planned Parenthood on July 20, 2012, for a second trimester abortion, which abortionist Mandy Gittler began at 12:51 p.m. Less than twelve hours later, Reaves was pronounced dead at a local hospital from severe internal injuries that resulted in massive blood loss, and finally, cardiac arrest.
“While hemorrhaging is a common abortion complication, it is a very serious, life-threatening condition that cannot be taken lightly. The Near North Planned Parenthood causes this kind of violent injury to women far too often to call it ‘safe,’” said Troy Newman, President of Operation Rescue.
“While Chicago reels under street violence that kills dozens of people per week, that number pales in comparison to the violent loss of life at just this one Planned Parenthood facility. If Chicago wants its people to respect and value the lives of others, it should start by closing down Planned Parenthood.”
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*Initially, it was reported that Reaves’ fatal abortion occurred at another Planned Parenthood facility on Michigan Avenue, but further information gleaned from a deposition in a wrongful death suit filed by Reaves’ family indicated it is more likely her abortion took place at the Near North Planned Parenthood on North LaSalle Drive. Planned Parenthood ultimately settled that suit for $1.5 million earmarked for Reaves surviving son.
