Calls to Atlanta Planned Parenthood increase following change in abortion law

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Stephanie Fraim, the acting CEO of Planned Parenthood Southeast, says their Metro Atlanta clinics were flooded with calls Tuesday night.

“We felt the impact within an hour. Our phones were starting to increase calls,” Fraim said. “People were calling and saying hey, can I schedule my abortion for tomorrow? I heard the judge has stopped this 6-week ban.”

Fulton County Judge, Robert McBurney, blocked the ban earlier this week. He ruled that the law was unconstitutional when it was written, and after the United States, Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last summer, which returned the fate of abortion rights to individual states.

The ruling means women in Georgia can now seek abortions until around 22 weeks of pregnancy.

“We had a patient on Tuesday that we had to say I’m sorry you’re going to have to go to North Carolina. We called her that Tuesday night and said we can see you tomorrow and we did see her that next day,” Fraim said.

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Fraim says Georgia Planned Parenthood locations resumed abortion services passed 6 weeks of pregnancy Wednesday and treated several women who would’ve otherwise had to travel across state lines for the procedure.

About a dozen states in the U.S. have total, or near total, abortion bans. Most are in the southeast region of the country. Fraim says the new law now makes Georgia a safe haven for women across the country.

“We expect to see patients traveling in and we will give them the same quality care that we give to the people from Georgia. We’re proud to be providing that care because we know that’s what women and people need,” Fraim said.

Georgia Attorney General, Chris Carr, has already filed an appeal against the ruling which will now be heard by the State Supreme Court.

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