The University of Wisconsin Medical Center (MSC)released a statement Wednesday refuting reports that it no longer plans to offer late abortions up to the 22nd week of pregnancy. According to the Badger Herald, Wisconsin’s Assistant Attorney General Kevin Potter wrote a letter that indicated his belief that the medical center was no longer planning to offer second trimester abortions on April 30. The medical center released a statement a few hours after the letter became public that states that the MSC is “strongly committed to a comprehensive reproductive health service that includes this important procedure,” reported Wisconsin State Journal. The hospital’s board chair, David Walsh, also said that “We have not made a decision not to go forward.” Anti-choice protestors have continued to target the MSC more than a year after it announced plans to offer abortions to women up to the 22nd week of pregnancy and considered the Assistant Attorney General’s letter a victory. In the letter, Potter wrote “It is my understanding based on recent information from the UW that they have now abandoned plans to provide late-term abortion services at MSC.” After the statements from the university, Special Assistant Attorney General Kevin St. John told the Wisconsin State Journal that “Based on the information that the Department of Justice received from UW prior to writing this letter and information that has been confirmed subsequently, the letter is accurate.” The University of Wisconsin announced its plan to offer second-term abortions at one of their campus health clinics in 2009. The University of Wisconsin Health Center Authority Board voted 11 to 3 to offer the procedure at a hearing in February 2009. The university decided to consider offering the procedure after learning that the only area provider who offered abortions up to the 22nd week of pregnancy retired.
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