Planned Parenthood Great Rivers will now provide medication abortion services in Springfield

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (Edited News Release/KY3) -Planned Parenthood Great Rivers announced on Monday the expansion of medication abortion services to its Springfield, Missouri health center for the first time.

After a recent court ruling permanently blocked unconstitutional restrictions, PPGR said it immediately began working to expand access to communities in Southwest Missouri. By providing medication abortion at the Springfield health center, PPGR ensures Missourians can realize the reproductive freedom they voted for while removing barriers to timely, evidence-based care for people in the Missouri Ozarks and beyond.

“Everyone deserves to have access to abortion care close to home,” said Dr. Margaret Baum, chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood Great Rivers. “For patients, choosing to have an abortion is a decision they put a lot of careful thought and deliberation into — and that’s just the first hurdle. Too many people struggle to get time off work or save up money to travel, and it impacts their ability to access timely care. That’s why it has been a top priority for PPGR to expand access in the Missouri Ozarks.”  

Medication abortion appointments at the Springfield health center are initially available July 27-29 for patients up to 12 weeks of pregnancy, with more appointments available online for future dates. Patients seeking care can visit ppgr.org/book or call 314-531-7526 to schedule an appointment.

The health center said the expansion follows a June 18 ruling from the Jackson County Circuit Court that struck down several medically unnecessary abortion restrictions that had prevented Missourians from accessing medication abortion in their home state since 2018.

The decision allowed Planned Parenthood health centers in Missouri to continue providing procedural abortion and once again offer medication abortion, affirming that Missouri’s Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment protects patients from medically unnecessary barriers to care, according to the press release.

“We are proud to be bringing evidence-based, patient-centric abortion access closer to the doorsteps of our patients in Southwest Missouri,” said Margot Riphagen-Dunn, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Rivers. “Missourians voted for the right to reproductive freedom in their home state, and now we’re able to bring this essential health care closer to home for the hundreds of thousands of people living in the Missouri Ozarks.” 

Medication abortion is the most common method of abortion in the United States and has been safely used by millions of patients for more than two decades, PPGR says. Restoring access means patients can choose the abortion method that’s right for them. Every patient receives individualized counseling from a trusted health care provider to discuss their options and determine the care that best meets their medical needs and personal preferences.

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