Planned Parenthood in Merrillville remains open to non-abortion health care

Planned Parenthood officials confirmed the Merrillville health center at 8645 Connecticut St. is open for immunization services, gender confirmation care, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections and other health care needs.

Planned Parenthood is fully committed to Indiana. “We’re not going anywhere,” said Kathy Rodihan, director of communications for Planned Parenthood.

Senate Enrollment Act 1The law, which took effect Thursday, bans all abortions in Indiana if necessary to prevent serious physical disability or death of the pregnant woman within 20 weeks, except for fertilization for pregnancies caused by rape or sexual intercourse within 10 weeks or due to fatal fetal abnormalities.

In the year Legislation passed Aug. 5 by the Republican-controlled General Assembly and Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb would require all abortions to be performed at a hospital or hospital-owned surgery center, and would cap abortion services at Planned Parenthood clinics. If they cannot adequately explain the legal basis for abortion, they risk losing their medical license.

According to the Indiana Department of HealthA total of 1,145 abortions, or 13.6% of the state’s total, were performed at Planned Parenthood in Merrillville last year.

A lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of abortion restrictions filed by the Indiana chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers was filed Monday in Bloomington.

A separate case related to the general abortion ban, Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act, is scheduled to be reviewed in an Indianapolis court next month.

In the meantime, Hoosier women can still get abortion care at Planned Parenthood at 19831 Governors Hwy across the state line. in Flossmore, Illinois

Indiana became the first state to legally impose new abortion restrictions following the June 24 Dobbs & Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision by the US Supreme Court, which overturned abortion rights established by the Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.