Planned Parenthood filed a lawsuit on June 11 in Anchorage Superior Court, challenging the state’s requirement that chemical abortions be performed in approved health care facilities.

The complaint argues that Alaska has somehow violated the state’s constitution by not allowing women to undergo chemically induced abortions, where preborn babies are killed and then expelled at home or in other locations.

The lawsuit names the State of Alaska, Acting Attorney General Cori Mills, the Alaska Department of Health, the State Medical Board, and the Alaska Board of Nursing as defendants.

Planned Parenthood operates two abortion centers in Alaska, one in Anchorage and another in Fairbanks. Under current law, women seeking chemical abortions must travel to these types of facilities to take the abortion inducing drugs, mifepristone and misoprostol.

Planned Parenthood claims Alaska women shouldn’t have to travel to a health facility, which might mean taking time off work, finding babysitters or other inconveniences. The abortion business asserts that even slight delays can push pregnant women past the 12-week window in which they can kill their unborn child using the powerful drugs, and thereby avoid more invasive abortion procedures.

The abortion giant claims chemical abortions are “safe and effective,” despite the fact that the drugs have serious, and sometimes life-threatening side effects.

Pro-life organizations, including the Charlotte Lozier Institute and Americans United for Life, warn that mifepristone and misoprostol carry significant risks, such as hemorrhage affecting up to 15.6% of users, potentially requiring blood transfusions. They can also lead to serious infections and sepsis, including rare but fatal cases. Additionally, incomplete abortions occur in 3-7% or more of cases, often necessitating surgery. Overall, the drugs bring elevated emergency room visits from adverse events.

Despite these known dangers, the Planned Parenthood lawsuit claims that requiring women to be at an approved medical facility for an abortion violates Alaskans’ fundamental right to privacy and equal protection under the Alaska Constitution.

The lawsuit asks for a preliminary injunction to halt enforcement during litigation and a permanent injunction.

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