Abortion

Three weeks ago, Allison Yarrow wrote an interesting story describing what her day was like inside of the Norman, Oklahoma Abortion Clinic.

Dr. Larry Burns and his wife, Debby, have provided abortions for 40 years in a state with very tight restriction and few providers. The Abortion Clinic opens four days a week at 7AM. Larry and Debby Burns clinic is one of the five (about 200 miles from Wichita) that are now the closest remaining options for women there. Yarrow was the first reporter they’ve given such access to in 40 years of practice. Two other clinics who have seen an influx of Wichita women, in Kansas City and Tulsa, have declined to have any reporters visit their site. 

Burns saw fourteen patients the day Yarrow went to visit. The closest patient that day was coming from Oklahoma City, 45 minutes away and the farthest, from Oklahoma’s panhandle, traveled four hours. Debby stated that on other days, patients arrive from as far off as Texas and Arkansas. This shows how badly these women need the procedure and it’s ridiculous that they have to travel so far for what should be done in their own states. 

Larry, a 68-year old father and grandfather has been practicing whats been called both one of the safest and one of the most controversial surgeries for 40 years, since 1973’s Roe. vs. Wade decision changed the legal abortion landscape. 

Oklahoma, banned abortion after 20 weeks, and require those wanting an abortion to wait about 24 hours before making an appointment to have the procedure, to learn about the alternatives and risks as well as remind them that the person who impregnated them would most definitely be responsible for child support.

 Cost is a big concern for many women who see Dr. Burns. Insurance policies in Oklahoma are ordered to not cover the cost in abortion procedures.The only way they can is if the mother’s life is endangered. It costs exactly $550 dollars for the procedure, anesthesia, and a two weeks checkup. About one in four women get financial aid from the Roe Fund run by the Oklahoma Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. Debby says that most of their clients pay cash and about one in ten patients will not even cover their full bill. 

It’s easy for anyone to judge these pregnant ladies.But its even harder to walk in their shoes. I believe that society should really focus on how to trust these women to know when and how many children they are capable of raising. Women have rights they should be able to do what they want and what they need to when it comes down to this decision. It’s heart breaking for me to read stories and watch these women get tortured by protestors and it’s quite traumatizing. These ladies should be able to walk into the clinic to get the procedure done without anyone yelling “BABY KILLER”, “MURDERER”. 

These women get abortions for various reasons. Some of these women decide it’s best to get an abortion if they are victims of rape and sexual assault, if they aren’t mentally, emotionally or financially ready. Allison’s report was well written. It was easy to understand and she made sure she included only the important information. Her description of the procedure was interesting. The interviews of the women before and after the procedure at the clinic really made this report stand out from the rest of the articles on Times.