HOUSTON – It has been nearly a month since a controversial abortion law went into effect in the state of Texas.
KPRC 2 is getting insight into how this has impacted clinics in our border states.
“For our consults, it’s pretty much doubled,” said Kathaleen Pittman, the director of the Hope Medical Clinic in Shreveport, Louisiana. “We are almost booked through the 22nd now, and that’s just for the first visit.”
Pittman said since the law went into effect on Sept. 1, banning most abortions, the number of overall Texas patients at her clinic, which is located about 240 miles from Houston, went from 20% to 50%.
“Ultimately, what Texas is going to see is women who are further into the pregnancy at the time of termination, and they are going to see women who aren’t able to access care,” said Pittman.
According to Pittman, her staff is overwhelmed just by the number of Texans calling the clinic.
“It’s one thing for us to get busy, but it’s another thing for these women to have to be driving this far to come to see us, it’s so unfair on so many levels,” she said.
KPRC 2 also checked with Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, which includes Colorado, New Mexico and southern Nevada. Since the beginning of September, they have had a 118% increase in volume from Texas. Their health center locations have seen 96 Texas patients for abortion care.
“They are exhausted because they are on the road back and forth, they are traveling further and there is a constant worry about what they’ve left behind. They’ve had to take off work longer and arrange for childcare longer,” said Pittman.
The Biden administration filed a federal lawsuit to overturn this new law. A hearing will be held this Friday.