Alabama Abortion Clinic Under Fire, Accused of Risking Woman's Life After Botched Abortion
Pro-life groups and other concerned citizens have called on the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) to immediately shut down a Tuscaloosa abortion clinic after a woman filed a lawsuit alleging she almost bled to death following a botched abortion.
The Tuscaloosa Thread reports the woman using the pseudonym of Jane Stone, filed suit in November in the circuit court of Tuscaloosa County against the West Alabama Women's Center (WAWC) for an abortion that took place on Dec. 28, 2020.
The lawsuit alleges that Dr. Tamer Middleton's medical mistakes resulted in a lacerated cervix, perforated uterus, and other life-threatening injuries that caused Stone to hemorrhage internally. In the hours that followed, Stone alleges she was left to bleed in a recovery chair, despite the loss of consciousness and pleas to call an ambulance.
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According to the complaint, an ambulance was only called when staff could no longer detect Stone's pulse. Once at the ER, an emergency hysterectomy was the only way to save her life.
As a result of her hysterectomy, she will never be able to become pregnant and have children, and she expects "significant medical bills and out-of-pocket expenses related to in vitro fertilization and surrogacy," the legal documents said.
According to the complaint, the clinic staff also allegedly failed to disclose that "Dr. Leah Torres, WAWC's medical director who was responsible for the operation and safety of all practices and procedures performed at WAWC, had her medical license revoked in August 2020," and has received a cease and desist order from the Medical Licensure Commission of Alabama and "was not authorized to function as medical director at the time."
A spokesperson for the West Alabama Women's Center declined to comment to the Thread.
Seven months earlier, another patient named April Lowery, died of similar injuries from a botched abortion, according to the pro-life group CEC For Life.
Although the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners did launch an investigation into the abortionist Louis Payne, who later surrendered his license, the clinic did not suffer any consequences, the group said.
The CEC For Life and other national pro-life groups, including Life Legal Defense Foundation and Operation Rescue will hold a press conference in front of the WAWC Saturday morning to bring attention to the alleged malpractice by the clinic.
"Once again, our coalition has helped organize complaints with ADPH and the Board of Medical Examiners and are awaiting their responses. We wonder how many women WAWC has to maim or kill before ADPH acknowledges the danger to Alabama citizens," CEC For Life International Director Fr. Terry Gensemer said in a statement. "ADPH has the ability, the authority, and obligation to hold this clinic accountable for its detrimental actions — today."
