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.