- Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin said Thursday it will resume abortions starting Monday, Sept. 18
- The services will only happen by appointment at PPWI's locations in Milwaukee and Madison
- The decision comes after a judge's recent ruling that Wisconsin's 1849 abortion ban does not apply to consensual abortions
- The video above explains why PPWI made its decision to resume abortions
ASHWAUBENON (NBC 26) — Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin said Thursday it will resume abortions starting Monday, Sept. 18.
The services will only happen by appointment at PPWI's locations in Milwaukee and Madison.
"We do feel confident in our ability to staff those two centers moving forward, and then...continuing to sort of re-examine and modify as needed to increase the best access as possible," PPWI Associate Medical Director Dr. Allie Linton said.
The decision comes after a judge's recent ruling that Wisconsin's 1849 abortion ban does not apply to consensual abortions.
"We are making this decision now because we know that Wisconsinites cannot and should not wait any longer to receive this essential and life-saving care in their home state," Linton said.
The U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe V. Wade in June last year, by ruling an abortion is unconstitutional.
PPWI President & CEO Tanya Atkinson said providers stopped doing abortions to protect them from prosecution.
"The court ruling under the attorney general's lawsuit in Dane County confirmed that the 1849 law is not enforceable for voluntary abortions," Atkinson said.
"The idea that somehow the legislators from Wisconsin in the 1800s didn't know what they meant when they said 'abortion,' it just defies logic and description," 40 Days for Life-Green Bay Director Jim Ball said.
40 Days for Life is a campaign that Ball said is the largest pro-life organization in the world.
He said he believes Planned Parenthood's decision is political.
"It's a dismemberment of the rule of law," Ball said.
He said the pro-life movement isn't going anywhere.
"We're going to be out here until we change enough hearts and minds to make sure that abortion is unthinkable," Ball said. "And we will pray for our enemies."
The Wisconsin Supreme Court has a liberal majority. But Atkinson said that has nothing to do with Planned Parenthood's decision.
"This is a medical decision, not a political decision, Atkinson said. "The people of Wisconsin, you know, could not wait any longer."
The Associated Press reports the lawsuit challenging Wisconsin's 1849 abortion ban is expected to reach the State Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, Planned Parenthood is currently accepting abortion appointments.
