Planned Parenthood to Close Final Louisiana Clinics: A Major Win for the Pro-Life Movement
In a significant development for the pro-life movement, Planned Parenthood is set to close its last two facilities in Louisiana next month. This decision has been hailed as a "success" by pro-life advocates who have tirelessly campaigned against the organization.
Shawn Carney, the CEO and founder of 40 Days for Life, expressed his enthusiasm in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital. He described the impending closures of the clinics in Baton Rouge and New Orleans as a “huge victory” for pro-life efforts. For nearly two decades, Carney’s organization has held vigils and prayed outside Planned Parenthood locations, advocating for the sanctity of life. "The only remaining Planned Parenthoods in Louisiana are closing because they can’t perform abortions there," Carney noted. “Planned Parenthood relies heavily on abortion services for its financial survival, and this closure marks a significant milestone for the pro-life movement.”
The Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, which operates six clinics in the Houston area and two in Louisiana, announced that both Louisiana clinics will shut their doors on September 30. This follows previous closures of facilities in Houston, including one of the largest abortion clinics in the Western Hemisphere. The remaining Houston locations will be taken over by the organization’s largest Texas affiliate.
Melaney Linton, the President of Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, attributed the closures in Louisiana to persistent political pressure. "This is not a decision we wanted to make; it’s one we were forced into by political warfare," she stated. Linton criticized lawmakers for their efforts to defund Planned Parenthood and emphasized that the consequences of these actions—such as health center closures and patients lacking care—are on their shoulders.
The ongoing closures are also a direct result of the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which returned the authority to regulate abortion to individual states. In response to the state’s strict abortion laws, Planned Parenthood has been unable to provide the services it was known for in Louisiana.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry celebrated the announcement, declaring it a "major win for the pro-life movement." He has long advocated for the elimination of Planned Parenthood from the state, stating that abortion "should NEVER be considered healthcare."
Attorney General Liz Murrill echoed this sentiment, calling the clinic closures "welcome news" and affirming Louisiana’s commitment to life. "Planned Parenthood built its business around promoting death. Louisiana chooses life," she said.
While Planned Parenthood is unable to perform abortions in Louisiana, it has facilitated access to out-of-state abortion services. The organization has faced similar challenges across various states, including California and New York, where it is selling its only health center building in Manhattan for $39 million.
Carney predicts that more Planned Parenthood closures may occur nationwide. "This will be the 40th Planned Parenthood to close in 2025," he stated, suggesting that the organization may see an additional 25 to 30 facility closures before the end of its fiscal year.
The Trump administration previously sought to cut funding to Planned Parenthood, which could lead to further facility shutdowns. A provision in a GOP-backed spending bill aimed to halt Medicaid payments to abortion providers who received over $800,000 in funding in 2023, although this measure currently faces legal challenges.
"Planned Parenthood is in its weakest position in history," Carney noted. He believes that affiliates will continue to merge, as evidenced by the upcoming consolidation of Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast with other affiliates.
As the organization grapples with financial instability—evidenced by the loss of 78,000 individual donors last year—Carney emphasized that reliance on federal funding has highlighted Planned Parenthood’s vulnerabilities. He dismissed claims that abortions represent only 3% of their services, arguing that if that were the case, the organization wouldn’t be facing such widespread closures in pro-life states.
The upcoming closures of Planned Parenthood facilities in Louisiana represent a pivotal moment for the pro-life movement, signaling a potential shift in the landscape of reproductive health services across the United States.
For more updates on this evolving story, be sure to follow Fox News Digital.
