Mississippi's final abortion clinic aEUR", and the one that was at the heart of the Supreme Court case to overturn Roe V. Wade, aEUR", closed its doors.
The Jackson Women's Health Organization was unsuccessful in their attempt to temporarily stop the state's ban on most abortions. Diane Derzis, the clinic's owner, said that they are now packing up and moving away.
The last patient was served on Wednesday.
Derzis, who spoke to NPR's Morning Edition, stated that the clinic's closing has left patients "devastated".
"And you'd be amazed at how many people don't know that this bill was passed and that abortion has been made illegal in Jackson as well as the surrounding states. She expressed her anger at the response.
According to The Associated Press, on Thursday, attorneys for the clinic filed paperwork asking the Mississippi Supreme Court, to intervene and allow the organization's reopening.
Since long, the center was Mississippi's only provider of abortion. The state passed a law banning abortions after 15 weeks in 2018. One of the Jackson clinic doctors and the state sued, claiming that the law was unconstitutional. The case reached the U.S. Supreme Court where it was decided that there is no constitutional right for an abortion.
Derzis will not be influenced. She will continue to provide abortion services for women who are in need.
She said that the clinic will now be heading to Las Cruces in New Mexico, approximately 40 miles north from El Paso, Texas to assist people there.
"New Mexico is very open-minded for the moment. We have been received. This is obviously closer to the Arizona and Texas borders. It seemed like the right place to be," Derzis stated.
These states have passed or plan to adopt near-total abortion prohibitions in response to the Supreme Court case this Summer.
She said that Derzis' organisation will provide surgical abortions in New Mexico.
Her clinic continues to refer patients from Mississippi to the Jackson Women's Health Organization, who can then take them to other places.
She said, "We probably referred 100 patients yesterday to a state near me." Many of her patients ended in Columbus, Ga. She said that many women who are not able to access abortions now will have to travel.
She said, "So, you know that that's America's future in abortion care."
Derzis stated that she is ready to handle many cases in Las Cruces. These will be likely to be women who are further along in their pregnancies.
"Typically, you don't find out that you are pregnant until you're six weeks into a pregnancy. She explained that by the time travel and all the other things that occur, we are talking about women who will be further along in their pregnancy. This is yet another problem with these laws. Women are being forced to have a longer gestational age, which increases the risk.
Derzis believes that the legal battle will not end soon. She believes that even though she is moving to a more open state, she still has a target in her back.
She said, "I see many, long years of litigation ahead." "But so long as it's legal in the state where we provide the service, I will do that," she said.
