By Kelley Weiss
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kcur/local-kcur-632928.mp3
Kansas City, MO – The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services reports that slightly more women had abortions last year but many of the procedures were performed across the state line. KCUR's Kelley Weiss reports.
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Almost 12,000 Missouri residents had abortions in 2006 - a two percent increase from the previous year. But the number of abortions performed in Missouri actually dropped by five percent. That means more women traveled out of state for the procedures.
Peter Brownlie is the President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri. He says after an abortion clinic in Springfield Missouri closed last year more women are now crossing the state line for care.
Peter Brownlie: "Women in Southwest Missouri have had to either go to Columbia or our Overland Park or other providers on the Kansas side."
Brownlie says although the increase in abortions in Missouri is not statistically significant he says some women have had to travel farther, and into other states, to get services. The state numbers did not account for women going to Illinois for abortions.
Funding for health care coverage on KCUR has been provided by the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City.
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