Florida abortion clinics are operating longer hours, opening on the weekends and training new doctors as they treat double the number of patients now that nearby states have made abortions illegal.
“This is a dangerous and scary time for women but also for the doctors who are trying to provide care and do what’s best for their patients,” said Christina Noce, communications director for Planned Parenthood of Southeast and North Florida, which operates 10 health centers across the state.
With the new U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, states are now able to set their own abortion policies and the procedure is now banned in at least 10 states. More bans are expected in the coming weeks and months. Women already have begun traveling to nearby states for procedures. On July 1, a Florida law that bans most abortions after 15 weeks went into effect, which is still considered less restrictive than most states in the South.
