A new report has exposed widespread violations of informed consent laws by abortion facilities across the United States, providing another indication that abortion is the big business of selling babies – not health care.
The findings, detailed in a comprehensive study by Americans United for Life (AUL), highlight failures by dozens of clinics, including Planned Parenthood, to provide women with critical information before performing abortions.
The AUL report, titled “Unsafe,” reviewed over 25,000 pages of public documents, including 1,200 inspection reports from 39 states, spanning 2008 to 2020. It found that at least 86 abortion facilities in 21 states were cited for failing to adhere to informed consent requirements. These violations included not obtaining consent at the required time, neglecting to involve appropriately licensed staff, and failing to provide patients with contact information for complaint hotlines or visible license information.
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Among the cited facilities, 27 Planned Parenthood clinics were flagged for non-compliance.
A notable case in Missouri involved a woman who underwent a botched surgical abortion at a Planned Parenthood in St. Louis in 2019. After a five-week gap, she returned for a second abortion but was not provided with updated informed consent, despite increased risks due to the pregnancy’s progression, according to a Missouri Department of Health report.
The AUL findings also point to broader safety concerns, documenting over 2,400 health and safety deficiencies at more than 300 abortion facilities in 39 states. These include serious violations such as failure to monitor patients’ vital signs during abortions and inadequate handling of emergency situations, some requiring hospital transfers.
Pro-life advocates argue that these revelations underscore the need for stricter oversight of abortion clinics in states where killing babies is still legal.
The report has sparked calls for legislative action. AUL’s model legislation, the Women’s Right to Know Act, has been adopted in some form by 28 states as of 2020. The act mandates that physicians provide detailed information about abortion procedures, risks, and alternatives, and requires states to develop informational materials for patients.
Critics of the abortion industry, including South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise, have endorsed the AUL’s efforts.
The AUL report comes as the debate over abortion regulation intensifies following the 2022 Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which returned abortion oversight to the states. Pro-life groups hope the findings will bolster efforts to enact stronger protections for women and unborn children.
For more information, the full “Unsafe” report is available at aul.org.
