News: Top story
Board OKs 2nd term abortions
Madison Surgery Center gives approval to plan; procedures to begin within months
Looking for a print version?
Simply use your browser’s ‘Print’ command and a printer-friendly document will be generated automatically.
Also by Signe Brewster:
- Recession not bad for all (July 18, 2009)
- Doyle signs state budget by deadline (July 3, 2009)
- Legislature passes budget compromise (June 26, 2009)
- Two teens charged in homicide on Southwest side (June 11, 2009)
- Strange man enters dorm rooms of 8 females in Witte Hall (May 7, 2009)
Sharing tools:
E-mail this article:
The board of the Madison Surgery Center voted unanimously Friday to approve a second-trimester abortion clinic that will begin operation at the center within months.
The board is comprised of representatives from the University of Wisconsin Hospital, UW Medical Foundation and Meriter Hospital, which jointly own MSC.
The board was the fourth and final authority needed to approve the clinic, which was proposed after the retirement of Planned Parenthood physician Dennis Christensen. Christensen was the only physician to offer the procedure in the Madison area.
Brunette noted a timeline has not been set for the process of opening the clinic, but it is expected to begin operating within “a matter of some months.”
Pro-Life Wisconsin State Director Peggy Hamill said anti-abortion groups are “appalled” with the passing of the plan.
“It is a sign that consciences are dead. When consciences are dead, there is no limit to what we will not do,” Hamill said. “The blood of preborn babies is on Badger-red hands.”
As a result, Hamill said some anti-abortion groups are planning a statewide boycott on UW services, and will not send their sons and daughters to college at the university.
Hamill went on to say clinic dissenters have been a constant presence outside of MSC the past few weeks, and this is expected to continue indefinitely as activists continue to display signs and attempt to dissuade others from supporting the clinic.
“We’ll continue to give support to the growing number of medical staff in the center who are refusing to be a part of this plan … right down to the people who work in maintenance and cleaning the facility,” Hamill said.
Executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin Lisa Subeck called the presence of the protestors outside the clinic disrespectful, saying those who seek care there have already made an extremely difficult choice.
She also stated abortion rights groups are pleased with the decision and applaud the Madison medical community’s commitment to reproductive health as they are serving a “critical void” in the area.
While UW Health officials have stated the abortions will be paid for by health insurance and patient fees, Hamill and other anti-abortion groups object to having the operations performed by physicians whose salaries come from citizens’ money.
“The doctors doing these procedures and training others in them are being paid by tax money. It’s quite obvious that tax money is being used,” Hamill said. “Those that made the decision to move this forward — that are paid through the UW System — have already used our tax dollars.”
Subeck disagreed, calling on the fact that physicians will be paid for the service privately and not out of their salaries. She said attorneys representing the clinic have stated there are no legal troubles with this.
MSC will offer abortions on women up to 22 weeks pregnant, maintaining Madison’s status as one of four cities in Wisconsin to offer second-trimester abortions.
UW Health authorities have stated the majority of abortions performed at MSC will be on women who have difficulty affording health care.
MSC estimates it will perform 125 abortions each year.
13 Comments | Leave a comment
Leave a comment
Herald Blogs
The Beat Goes On
Brother Ali makes an ‘Exclusive’ stop
Muckrakers
Report: Barrett to make decision by the end of the week
Extra Points
Top Classified Ads (view all)
HOUSES FOR Fall 2010. All houses are on W Dayton or N Bassett. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 bedrooms. All have parking. madisoncampusrentals.com
One more nail in the secular coffin. The U.S. is headed in the same direction as many European countries. Anti-Christian, anti-Catholic, anti-morals. It’s now near 50% and will soon exceed that. How tragic. Where has our consciences taken us?
im so glad im not going here next semester. How can the board live with themselves
Go Red!
Way to stand up for women’s rights, MSC -A feminist man
As an alumni I am embarassed to wear UW’s sweatshirt and will no longer do so. Moreover, the school will receive no financial contributions from me from this date forward.
I predit there will be a lot of backlash as a result of the decision and the UW will be knocked off the high horse they’ve been on for the last ten years.
Coupled with the brash homeless influx, the rapes, and the recent murder-spree of UW students, this proposal seems to fit right in. UW-Madison’s “progressive” ideology is turning the city into a cesspool.
High school students should avoid UW at all costs!
Test…
“We don’t agree with them, so we’re going to keep our children from going to a legitimately good school, thus putting them at a disadvantage compared to those heathens…”
Makes me glad to be sane.
And personally, if we become more like Europe (which is doing phenomenal compared to us right now in regards to important things like the economy), I’ll be perfectly happy.
free abortions for everyone. uw doesnt want those assholes kids to go there. oh and catholics are in no position to complain about discrimination since they have been responsible for global massacres for a thousand years.
If you don’t want an abortion, then don’t have one. It’s as simple as that. Women need access to this service. Their body, their choice.
The way it’s going you might as well let them slaughter their kids when they turn one.
GO BOYCOTTERS! Hit them where it hurts. Like the guy who thinks Europe is doing great “Where it counts,” money must be the only thing that matters to them. So hit them where it hurts.
It sickens me that people are so sure that providing women with access to safe abortions is immoral. Isn’t it immoral to force women to have unwanted children? Or worse, to have children that they are not able to take care of? All of you who are so anti-abortion, why don’t you volunteer to help pregnant women or support government assistance programs or even adopt children? No, you would rather call the rest of us who believe in protecting the rights of mothers and children “anti-moral.” It is immoral to allow women to continue to be victimized by tyranny of the religious beliefs of others. This is a country where there is supposed to be a seperation of church and state. This is NOT a christian nation, there are more non-religious people than any other relgion in the United States. You are all self-righteous hypocrites. As someone who sees what unwanted pregnancies can do to the mother and the child, I know there is value to having access to safe abortions. Why don’t you get off your high horse and try to end unwanted pregnancies by making sure women have access to health care and children are taught about contraception in school. If you really wanted to end abortion you would make sure there was government assistance for day care and food stamps for mothers who can’t afford to take care of their children. Everyone who is anti-abortion but not anti-discrimination and oppression are hypocrites. Please for the love of humanity, stop oppressing people because of your beliefs. If you don’t want abortion, don’t have one.