In 2023, more than half of Pennsylvania’s abortion facilities failed health inspections or failed to report significant data or ambulatory events, according to a report released by the Pennsylvania Family Institute (PFI) based on state government records.
In all, nine abortion facilities were marked with infractions as significant as failing to report a serious health event—“likely from a botched abortion”—the report says, to unsafe or unsanitary protocols. To date, according to PFI, the Democrat-led state government has levied no fines or penalties for the violations.
“These abortion facilities that profit from women’s elective abortions (and are supplemented with millions of tax dollars), continue to fail health inspections—putting the life and safety of women at risk, not to mention their unborn babies,” said Dan Bartkowiak, the group’s communications director. “While Gov. Josh Shapiro is busy taking money away from pro-life maternity homes and pregnancy centers, he has done nothing to address the severe infractions by abortion centers outlined in these failed inspections.”
For decades under both Democrat and Republican governors, Pennsylvania had funded the Alternatives to Abortion program until Shapiro’s administration removed that funding. Additionally, according to PFI, the state attorney general has set up a webform to facilitate public complaints against organizations that offer abortion alternatives.
“Gov. Shapiro’s administration claims abortion ‘remains safe’ in Pennsylvania, but not only is abortion unsafe for the unborn baby being aborted, or for women facing complications from their abortion and post-abortion trauma, it’s unsafe for women when half of PA’s abortion facilities are failing health inspections,” added Bartkowiak.
Among the violations:
- On Sept. 21, the Allentown Women’s Center was flagged for using ketamine as a general anesthetic.
- On Aug. 22, the Philadelphia Women’s Center—the state’s busiest abortion facility—was hit with multiple violations, including failure to provide tissue for analysis to determine the gestational age of a baby who was aborted; and discharging patients without proper care by a physician.
- On Oct. 23, the Planned Parenthood in Wilkes Barre failed to properly document informed consent for a minor to have an abortion.
- On June 22, Planned Parenthood of York was cited for having failed to provide annual performance evaluations for three of its four abortionists, and was also flagged for failing to report a “serious event” that occurred on March 6, according to state health department records.
- Two Philadelphia Planned Parenthood facilities—on Comly Road and on Locust Street—were flagged for multiple violations in August and September involving multiple unsanitary practices involving needles and storage of biowaste, improper dispensing of medications without vitals being recorded, and inadequate documentation of credentials for a nurse and a person administering anesthesia.
Other facilities with violations included Planned Parenthood facilities in Lancaster, Norristown and Reading.
Photo: Ricky Fitchett, Newscom/Zuma Press Wire