Planned Parenthood North Central States announced it plans to close four clinics in Iowa amid financial challenges.
The organization said it will close its clinics in Ames, Cedar Rapids, Sioux City and Urbandale in addition to four of its clinics in Minnesota in the coming year. It will also layoff 66 staff members and offer 37 others reassignments.
Planned Parenthood said in a press release that the decision to restructure and close the clinics "comes as patient needs and preferences have changed, the broken aspects of our health care system have intensified, the organization’s Minnesota Title X funds have been frozen, and the U.S. House voted to advance a reconciliation package that defunds Planned Parenthood."
“We have been fighting to hold together an unsustainable infrastructure as the landscape shifts around us and an onslaught of attacks continues," Ruth Richardson, the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood North Central States, said in a statement.
"We know that many of our patients would have nowhere to turn if every Planned Parenthood health center were to disappear from their state. Heart wrenching and hard decisions today will ensure Planned Parenthood is here for years to come."
The closures will leave Planned Parenthood with just two clinics in Iowa in Des Moines and Iowa City. It recently remodeled its Des Moines location to expand hours and patient services, but it does not offer abortions. Planned Parenthood also has virtual care options.
The only Planned Parenthood clinic in the state still performing abortions is in Ames. Its closure means Iowa will have one abortion clinic — the Emma Goldman Clinic in Iowa City.
Since a state law banning the procedure at about six weeks of pregnancy went into effect last July, the number of abortions in Iowa has dropped significantly.
Planned Parenthood reports the number of abortions it's performed in Iowa dropped 60% in the six months following the law going into effect while the number of Iowans travelling to neighboring states Minnesota and Nebraska have increased 239%.
