MADISON, Wis. — Some Wisconsin clinics will resume offering nonsurgical abortions after a judge halted a state law requiring three doctor visits for women seeking them.
Under the law, a woman seeking a nonsurgical abortion must meet with a doctor who ensures she isn't being coerced into having the procedure. The doctor also must be present when a woman takes the pills that induce an abortion. Web-based consultations are prohibited.
Dane County Judge Richard Niess issued a temporary injunction in April barring the law's provisions from taking effect after Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin filed a federal lawsuit, saying the law is unconstitutionally vague and fails to specify how doctors can avoid criminal penalties.
Planned Parenthood, which stopped offering pill-based abortions last year, said it would resume offering the procedure at its clinics in Madison, Milwaukee and Appleton, The Wisconsin State Journal (http://bit.ly/16aNxvH) reported Wednesday.
"This is a significant step in the right direction recognizing that medical professionals should be trusted to determine the safest and best medical care for patients," said the organization's president and CEO Teri Huyck.
The injunction will be in effect until the federal case is resolved, Planned Parenthood said.
