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Planned Parenthood is bringing procedural abortion access back to Peoria

Demonstrators gather outside the Planned Parenthood on Knoxville Avenue Sunday morning to show their support in the aftermath of an arson fire at the health center.
Collin Schopp
/
WCBU
Demonstrators gather outside the Planned Parenthood on Knoxville Avenue Sunday morning to show their support in the aftermath of an arson fire at the health center.

Planned Parenthood of Illinois is bringing procedural abortions to its recently reopened Peoria clinic, marking the first time in five years they have been performed locally.

The Peoria clinic, 2709 N. Knoxville, closed for over a year after it was firebombed in January 2023. The facility reopened in June.

“When we renovated Peoria after it was attacked, we purposefully designed it with flexibility in mind so we can expand our care options as needed," said Dr. Amy Whitaker, chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood of Illinois in a statement. "Since PPIL continues to see a flood of patients needing care in central Illinois we are proud to now offer the full spectrum of abortion care in Peoria.”

Planned Parenthood projects restoring procedural abortion in Peoria will expand access statewide by 11%.

The Planned Parenthood clinic has offered medication abortions, but procedural abortions were last available before the Whole Women's Health clinic, 7405 N. University, closed back in 2019.

Planned Parenthood also offers other services in Peoria like STI testing and treatment, cancer screening, and birth control.

Tim is the News Director at WCBU Peoria Public Radio.