Planned Parenthood of New Mexico Limits Non-Abortion Care Due to Surge From Texas
Planned Parenthood clinics in New Mexico are prioritizing abortion care amidst a continuing influx of patients from Texas -- where abortion is largely banned -- and continuing fallout from the COVID pandemic. The overwhelming demand has prompted Planned Parenthood, which offers low to no-cost services, to refer patients out to surrounding clinics in New Mexico for family planning, wellness exams, and other reproductive health services, so as to keep wait times down for abortion care.
The Impact of the Texas Abortion Ban
Since the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision, which effectively ended the right to abortion in more than 20 states, 56% of New Mexico's Planned Parenthood abortion patients are from Texas, according to data from Planned Parenthood. In the 10 months following the Supreme Court decision, New Mexico saw more abortion patients from Texas than all of the state's abortion patients in the 10 months prior to the passage of Texas's SB8, the 6-week ban that dealt the first blow to abortion care in Texas and became effective in September 2021.
Of Texas's neighbors, New Mexico shares the largest border, and is the only bordering state that has not banned abortion post-Dobbs. Following the Supreme Court decision, the state earmarked $10 million to open a new reproductive health center at the El Paso border.
Current Staffing and Service Challenges
Currently, the wait time is 14 days for an abortion appointment at one of their clinics. Adrienne Mansanares, the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, told MedPage Today that for the last 6 to 8 weeks, some clinics have modified their services because of a staff shortage, with not enough advanced practice practitioners to meet the demand. "We are one of just a few organizations that do provide abortion care," Mansanares said. "So there just aren't enough providers that can help jump in, whereas they can for things like sexually transmitted infections [STIs] or birth control."
The following table summarizes the data regarding patient volume and service availability:
| Metric | Details |
|---|---|
| Abortion Patient Origin | 56% from Texas |
| Abortion Appointment Wait Time | 14 days |
| Scheduling for STI/Wellness Exams | 3 out of 5 locations |
| Scheduling for Birth Control/Pregnancy Tests | 2 out of 5 locations |
Service Availability at New Mexico Locations
- One location in Albuquerque offers procedural (sometimes known as "surgical") abortion care.
- Three locations (including the Albuquerque site) were taking in-person appointments for medication abortion at press time.
- Three were scheduling in-person appointments for STI testing and wellness exams.
- Two were scheduling for birth control and pregnancy tests.
- One was scheduling for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) drugs for HIV.
Comprehensive Abortion Clinic Serving Patients from Carlsbad, NM
As Planned Parenthood navigates these challenges, other providers like CARE Clinic Colorado offer additional options for patients. CARE Clinic Colorado offers the abortion pill (medication abortion) as a non-surgical option for terminating pregnancies up to 11.6 weeks gestation. This option provides privacy and convenience, allowing you to undergo the procedure either at the comfortable abortion clinic helping people coming from Carlsbad, New Mexico or in the privacy of your home through their secure mail service.
For pregnancies beyond 11.6 weeks up to 23.6 weeks, CARE Clinic Colorado offers vacuum aspiration (also known as surgical abortion). This safe and effective procedure is performed by experienced healthcare professionals who prioritize comfort and well-being.
Available Services at CARE Clinic Colorado:
- Abortion Pill Up To 11.6 Weeks
- Abortion Pill By Mail
- Vacuum Aspiration Up To 18.6 Weeks
- Surgical Abortion After 18.6 Weeks