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Nashville Abortion Clinic Closes. Only One Planned Parenthood Clinic Remains

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Nashville, Tennessee’s second-to-last abortion clinic closed its doors over the weekend, marking an end to a near 30 year stretch of operations and a decided win for pro-lifers.

“We are looking for an alternative site but haven’t found anything yet,” clinic attorney Thomas Jessee said, the Tennessean reported Tuesday. “We have one doctor who would like to continue, but it’s just a question of finding a place.”

The Women’s Center, which has operated since 1990, previously offered surgical abortions for women seven to 15 weeks pregnant, and medical abortions for those 69 days or less along in their pregnancies. The clinic charges $650 for medical abortions, according to its website.

“We thank God for answering the prayers of so many pro-life Tennesseans,” Tennessee Right to Life president Brian Harris said in a statement. “Vigilance in continuing all of our pro-life efforts is necessary to keep another abortion chain from stepping in to reap profit from the killing of innocent unborn children,” Harris added.

The Women’s Center sued the state in 2015 over its law requiring women to wait 48 hours after visiting with a physician before having abortion, alleging that the law puts on undue burden on a woman’s access to abortion. The lawsuit also asked the court to block Tennessee’s law requiring abortion doctors to have admitting privileges with local hospitals as well, as its mandate that clinics performing 50 or more surgical abortions every year be regulated as ambulatory surgical treatment centers.

The Women’s Center was forced to call an ambulance in June 2014 when a woman stopped breathing while undergoing an abortion. “A lack of licensing and inspections allows these places to be totally unprepared for the horrible things that can go wrong,” said physician Brent Boles, referring to the incident.

Planned Parenthood and other abortion clinics joined the 2015 lawsuit, which persists.

“We see this as a small part of an overarching health care access issue, but it’s notable that it is particularly pointed at women,” Tennessee Advocates for Planned Parenthood executive director Francis Hunt said, lamenting the clinic’s closure. “Without a doubt, women’s health is an absolute target right now in the health care arena.”

Gary Clayton Boyle, a former abortionist at the clinic, was arrested in October 2010 for pointing a gun at a group of pro-life protesters.

Planned Parenthood’s Nashville Health Center is the city’s only remaining abortion clinic.

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