Planned Parenthood will close 8 abortion facilities in Minnesota and Iowa, USA.

Planned Parenthood has announced the next closure of eight of its abortion facilities in Minnesota and Iowa, in the United States.

Planned parenthood north central states – which operates 23 abortion facilities in the area – cited budgetary challenges and federal cuts of imminent funds such as the reason for the closures, which will enter into force before July 1.

These clinic closures follow recent closures of Planned Parenthood facilities throughout the country this year, including the only Planned Parenthood clinic in Manhattan, as well as four locations in Illinois, four in Michigan, one in California, two in Utah and one in Vermont.

Local Provida defenders celebrated the announcement, but said there is still work to be done.

Kristi Judkins, executive director of Iowa Right to Life, described the closures as “a victory”, although she added that she still hopes to bring a “culture of life” to the State.

“We will continue praying peacefully in the 40 -day campaigns for life in front of the clinics that remain open,” Judkins told CNA, an Ewtn News English agency. “We will be ready to approach women and let them know with love that we are there to help them.”

Maggie Dewitte, Executive Director of the Provida Defense Group Press Life Advocates in Des Moines, said: “We are incredibly grateful” to listen to the closures.

“Abortion is not medical attention and women deserve something better,” Dewitte told CNA.

Planned Parenthood cited the “needs of patients” and the “broken” health system as reasons for closures, as well as the recent freezing of title X funds in Minnesota and The United States Reconciliation Law project that could withdraw funds to the organization.

“We have been struggling to maintain an unsustainable infrastructure while the panorama changes around us and continues an avalanche of attacks,” said Ruth Richardson, president and executive director of Planned Parenthood North Central State states, in a communication.

In Iowa, unborn children are protected by law during most pregnancy. The State also blocked public financing for Planned Parenthood and other abortion suppliers in 2017.

Although abortion is legal in Minnesota, when the Trump administration temporarily frozen the title X funds for Planned Parenthood, the organization lost 2.8 million dollars in financing for its locations in Minnesota.

The abortion giant is “restructuring” to develop both online and face -to -face attention, according to the press release.

“We know that many of our patients would have nowhere to go if all the Health Centers of Planned Parenthood disappeared from their state,” said Richardson. “The heartbreaking and difficult decisions of today will ensure that Planned Parenthood is here for the next few years.”

There are 196 community health centers In Iowa that offer medical care for women, According to the most recent data of Charlotte Lozier Institutewhich means that there are 28 health alternatives for women for each Planned Parenthood.

“In Iowa, we have more than 55 resource centers for pregnancy throughout the state, both in rural and urban areas,” said Dewitte. “Women and families in Iowa can access medical care and quality services in these centers.”

The resource centers for pregnancy, a subcategory of community health centers, are organizations specifically designed to support women in crisis pregnancies, offering support, resources and care, usually at no cost.

Despite Planned Parenthood’s closures, several abortion facilities remain open in Iowa.

“We still have three abortion facilities that will remain open: two in Iowa City and one in Des Moines, so our work will continue until we can see the closure of all abortion facilities in our state,” said Dewitte.

Both Dewitte and Judkins agreed that there is still work to do.

“Although we see the disappearance of Planned Parenthood’s physical clinics in Iowa, we still have a lot of work to do,” said Judkins.

“We must continue working with our provident community to influence mentalities and get a culture of life to be accepted instead of a culture of death,” he added.

Judkins said he plans to continue the work of the organization in the awareness of fetal development education, the damage of the abortive pills and the “legitimate trauma of abortion”.

“We must ensure that the inhabitants of Iowa know that the answer in a crisis situation It is not abortion and that there are wonderful people who will meet them to provide support and what they need, ”said Judkins.

Translated and adapted by the ACI Press team. Originally published in CNA.