Planned Parenthood has concluded its operations in Louisiana, closing its clinics in Baton Rouge and New Orleans, and marking the end of a presence that spanned over 40 years. This development leaves Louisiana as the most populous state in the nation without a single Planned Parenthood facility. The shutdowns are a direct consequence of President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, a comprehensive Republican tax and spending measure that prohibited Medicaid reimbursements to abortion providers.
The closures come after a legal battle where Planned Parenthood challenged the measure. However, with an appeals court lifting an injunction earlier this month, the law was immediately enacted. As a result, Louisiana now stands alongside Mississippi, Wyoming, and North Dakota as states without Planned Parenthood clinics, as reported by The Daily Caller.
Governor Jeff Landry and State Attorney General Liz Murrill have lauded the closures as a significant victory for the pro-life movement. Landry celebrated the event on social media, stating, “This is a win for babies, a win for mothers, and a win for LIFE!” Murrill expressed a more pointed view, asserting, “Planned Parenthood built its business around promoting death. Louisiana chose life.”
Pro-life organizations have also welcomed the news. Erica Inzina, policy director of Louisiana Right to Life, emphasized the controversies surrounding Planned Parenthood, referencing undercover footage from 2015 that purported to show officials discussing the sale of fetal body parts.
Conversely, Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, which operated the Louisiana clinics, attributed the closures to sustained political attacks, not a lack of demand. Melaney Linton, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, described the closures as a forced decision due to political warfare and criticized lawmakers for dismantling public health infrastructure and reducing access to care.
Despite not being licensed to perform abortions, the closed Louisiana clinics served approximately 11,000 patients in 2023, providing critical services such as STI tests, birth control consultations, and cancer screenings. Abortion rights advocates warn that the closures will exacerbate existing public health challenges, including high maternal mortality rates and a shortage of OB-GYN providers.
Republicans, however, point to Planned Parenthood’s annual report, highlighting the organization's performance of over 400,000 abortions in the fiscal year 2023–24 and the receipt of over $700 million in government funds, while noting a 31 percent drop in private contributions.
The impact of the closures extends beyond Louisiana, with more than 40 Planned Parenthood clinics nationwide shutting down this year, including the large “Prevention Park” facility in Houston. The organization has cautioned that nearly 200 clinics may close if federal funding restrictions persist.
Louisiana lawmakers are advancing further restrictions, including a law allowing residents to sue out-of-state doctors who send abortion-inducing pills into the state. Attorney General Murrill is also challenging protective laws in states that aim to safeguard abortion providers from legal action.
For pro-life advocates, the closures are seen as a national turning point in the long-standing abortion debate. As Murrill declared, “Louisiana chose life. And other states are watching.”
