Some abortion centers have published their own medical “regulations” — protocol for handling unexpected emergencies during legal abortion procedures.
Yet, the abortion industry as a whole spends large amounts of money every year fiercely fighting legal battles in courtrooms in order to avoid the imposition of state health department regulations on abortion centers.
These are basically the same regulations by which any medical ambulatory care center must abide; the general public and the medical community would raise a very loud raucus if ambulatory care centers, or restaurants, were no longer regulated and/or periodically inspected.
Yet, the abortion industry has managed to avoid regulation and inspection since abortion-on-demand became legal in the USA in 1973!
As you can see by reading the self-imposed regulations below, these are certainly reasonable requirements for good medical practice.
Excerpts from “Planned Parenthood of Central and Northern Arizona Condensed Abortion Protocol”, dtd 10/2000:
“…These services are offered to ensure access to safe abortions to those patients who have been counseled on every phase of the abortion procedure and who are confident in their decision to terminate their pregnancy. [emphasis added]
“This condensed protocol covers many of the significant considerations related to the physical facilities, supplies, equipment and personnel involved in the procedure…
Physical Facilities…providing abortion services will have…adequate lighting and ventilation for abortion procedures…emergency exit to accommodate a stratcher [sic] or gurnery; facilities for sterilization of instruments.
Supplies and Equipment that must be immediately available for use or in an emergency kit include…conventional surgical insturments for cervical dilation and uterine curettage, in adequate supply to permit individual sterilized instruments for each patient [emphasis added]; equipment necessary for required laboratory testing…syringes and needles…antagonists for any narcotics or sedatives used; dextrose and electrolyte solutions for emergency use; pulse oximeter in the procedure room when a patient receives IV anesthesia or analgesia and available to the recovery room if patients have received IV anesthesia or analgesia; medications for management of emergencies as designated by supervising physican; oxygen, with connectors to nasal prongs or mask and resuscitative equipment; stretcher or gurney; ultrasound.
“All surgical equipment must be safe for the patient and for staff, must meet FDA standards, and will be checked annually to ensure safety and appropriate calibration.
“…Physicians performing surgery will be licensed board certified/ board eligible physicians who have demonstrated competence in the procedures involved and are acceptable to the Medical Director. Family Practice and OB/GYN residents may perform surgery under the direct supervision of the Medical Director of approved provider. A physician with admitting privileges at a local hospital must be available.
“An RN, LPN, PA, or Nurse Practitioner will be present…to provide post-operative monitoring and care.
“Medical Screening and Evaluation — A medical history must be completed as required for comprehensive service patients. [sic] Special attention must be given to reported allergies to medications, antiseptic solutions, latex or past surgeries…
“All patients will have an ultrasound evaluation…
“Abortion Procedure…Uterine evacuation must be done in a clean treatment room, using clean drapes, with adequate antisepsis of the vagina and with sterile insturments utilizing no-touch techniques…
“Recovery Room — Immediate post-procedure care must consist of observation in a supervised recovery room for as long as the patient’s condition warrants. Hospitalization without delay must be arranged if any complication beyond the management capability of affiliate staff occurs or is suspected…A physician must remain on the premises until all patients are stable, or until all patients have left the recovery room, whichever comes first. A physician must sign the discharge order and be readily accessible and available until the last patient has been discharged…RhO immune globulin must be offered to Rh-negative unsensitized women within 72 hours but preferably in the immediate operative period. If the woman refuses, a refusal form must be signed…”
[Planned Parenthood of Central and Northern Arizona Condensed Abortion Protocol, dtd 10/2000]
This protocol comes from a Planned Parenthood center in AZ.
If some abortion centers require these regulations in an attempt to safe-guard women’s health, why does the abortion industry as a whole (including Planned Parenthood Federation of America) fight so fiercely against state regulation and inspection of abortion centers?
Any organization truly concerned about women’s health, would work to insure adequate protection of women’s health through abortion regulation.
If not, there must be a reason why they don’t want abortion centers to be regulated just as ambulatory care centers are regulated…