Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin suspended its use of nonsurgical abortions late last week because of concerns surrounding restrictions put into effect Friday by a recently signed law.

In a statement from PPW, President and CEO Teri Huyck said the organization would discontinue the use of chemical, or nonsurgical, abortions even though the new law does not mandate the end of chemical abortions in the state.

Still, Huyck said the decision was made to end the abortions because the new law creates additional requirements, which he called “burdensome,” and criminal penalties for physicians providing medication abortion if they do not follow the new requirements set by the law.

Huyck added chemical abortions should not be confused with certain forms of contraception, such as the morning after pill, which is still available over the counter and by prescription to prevent pregnancy up to five days after unprotected sex.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, who is running against Gov. Scott Walker in the recall election, said this was another example of the “war on women” in the state and promised to reverse this law if elected.

“News today that Planned Parenthood will discontinue a key reproductive health service because of Scott Walker’s war on women is a tremendous setback for women’s rights and women’s health,” Barrett said in a conference call with the press. “This extreme law intrudes on the doctor-patient relationship and is designed to throw up roadblocks to the freedom of choice.”

Sen. Mary Lazich, R-New Berlin, said the new law is in line with the National Abortion Federation and their guidelines that a woman must have a physical before being administered abortion-inducing drugs and then must take the medication in a medical office.

“It was Planned Parenthood’s decision to suspend chemical abortions, but if they are saying that the law we passed is requiring them to do that, they are wrong and I think they know they are wrong. They are trying to create a flurry of attention,” Lazich said.

Wisconsin Alliance for Women’s Health Executive Director Sara Finger said in a statement that non-surgical abortions are FDA approved and have been available in the U.S. for more than 10 years as a safe and effective way to terminate a very early pregnancy.

Finger said this type of abortion provides some women with a more private option because they are able to go through the process at home while other women prefer medication abortion because it is less invasive than a surgical abortion.

Susan Armacost, Legislative Director of Wisconsin Right to Life, said she feels WPP’s suspension of chemical abortions is a victory for Wisconsin women.

One of the new restrictions keeps Planned Parenthood from prescribing an abortion drug called mifepristone, or RU-486, to a woman over a web camera.

“RU-486 is very dangerous drug,” Armacost said. “Fourteen women have died from taking it. That’s not us saying it; that’s the Federal Drug Administration. We think it’s very important that if they are going to give this drug to a woman, she should at least be in the same room as the doctor prescribing it.”