Planned Parenthood marks the state of reproductive health care after Dobbs

Minnesota-based Planned Parenthood North Central States is celebrating its two-year anniversary Dobbs concludes by decrying the reproductive health care landscape in the Upper Midwest.

South Dakota, located in the organization’s region, has an almost complete abortion ban.

The CEO of Planned Parenthood North Central States said the organization is increasing its capacity with facility expansions in Minnesota, Omaha, Nebraska and Des Moines, Iowa. The organization’s region also includes North and South Dakota.

Ruth Richardson said in a roundtable discussion on Zoom that states with abortion restrictions face higher maternal and infant mortality rates, rising STD rates and growing health care deserts.

“To be clear, access to health care should not be dictated by your zip code, your race or ethnicity, gender identity, disability or socioeconomic status,” Richardson said. “That’s why Planned Parenthood is committed to building health care that meets the intersectional needs of communities facing the greatest barriers to care. Such as our Black, Indigenous, low-income, and rural communities, and our LBGTQ+ neighbors.”

The number of pregnancy-related deaths in South Dakota has steadily increased since 2015, syphilis cases among adults have increased 90 percent since 2021, and more than half of South Dakota counties are considered a maternal health care desert.

But Planned Parenthood has stopped supporting a ballot question to restore access to abortion in South Dakota. The group joins the ACLU of South Dakota in not supporting the amendment because of the way the amendment is written. Planned Parenthood officials have said they do not believe Amendment G will “adequately restore” abortion rights in South Dakota.

The language is enough for Dr. Marvin Buehner, an obstetrician who has practiced women’s health care in western South Dakota for more than 30 years.

He said Amendment G allows access to abortion at a level most Americans are comfortable with.

“If we want to end these wars over abortion, we’re going to have to make a little compromise,” Buehner said. “I think this language is consistent with what most voters are comfortable with and, in the vast majority of cases, it also protects women’s right to make health care decisions.”

Amendment G establishes the right to abortion in the first and second trimester of pregnancy. It allows the state to ban abortion in the third trimester unless abortion is necessary to preserve the life or health of the pregnant woman.

Anti-abortion rights groups call the measure too extreme.

The question will appear on the November ballot. It is currently being challenged in court.