Dallas Abortion Clinic Becomes First Abortion Clinic to Close in 2015

An abortion center in Dallas, Texas has closed, making it the first abortion facility to shut down in 2015.

The Northpark Medical Group in Dallas had to close under new laws.

There are 549 surgical abortion clinics in America, Operation Rescue said. In 2014, about 70 abortion clinics in the United States closed or stopped providing abortion services. 

In Texas, there are 16 surgical abortion clinics in the state. In 2013, there were 44. Texas then passed HB2, a law requiring abortion facilities to meet minimum safety standards.

“The Texas abortion law is doing what it is supposed to do. It is protecting women from substandard facilities and practices. The benefit of requiring abortionists to maintain hospital privileges within 30 miles of their abortion facilities is that it weeds out those who cannot qualify or meet the medical standards that hospitals require,” said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. “If an abortion facility cannot meet minimum safety standards, it is just too dangerous to stay open.”

At the end of 2014, the University General Healthy System shut down its Dallas hospital to sell the property. Under Texas law, the Northpark Medical Group has to have access to hospital privileges and with the closure of the hospital, the Northpark center had to close. 

The two doctors at the center are reportedly looking to other area hospitals, but haven’t been successful yet.

Publication date: January 12, 2015