Planned Parenthood resumes women’s health services

The overturning of Roe v. Wade has left many Arizonans confused and frustrated over how they will receive health services in the state. However, a Planned Parenthood location in Tucson has resumed these services, such as abortions, because of a Pima County Injunction.

Brittany Fonteno, CEO and president of Planned Parenthood in Arizona, explains that Arizona has a lot of conflicting abortion laws that are set in place. Resuming health services after the Supreme Court’s decision was always the plan for the Arizona Planned Parenthood.

The amount of confusion that has been seen in Arizona the past two months regarding women’s health services cannot be overstated, according to Fonteno.

“Over the past couple of weeks, we have been fighting a court case against the attorney general and his attempt to reinstate a year total ban on abortion from 1864,” Fonteno said. “Throughout the court proceedings, it has become very clear that there is an injunction that is in place that makes the current law, the near total ban on abortion, unenforceable right now.”

Because of this legal clarity, Planned Parenthood felt comfortable enough to resume health services for women in Arizona.

There are seven locations throughout the state, but right now, the focus is on Tucson since that is the location that has staff comfortable enough to resume the services during this period of relative uncertainty.

The Tucson location is still providing the same services that were performed prior to Roe v. Wade.

“Right now, nothing has changed,” Fonteno said. “What I can tell you we have seen is a real increase and interest on birth control.”

Planned Parenthood provides a range of health services, but there has been a spike in people requesting long acting reversible contraceptives, including IUDs.

To find other abortion providers throughout the state of Arizona, visit abortionfinder.org.