Planned Parenthood

The Missouri Supreme Court is questioning whether it should be the tribunal to hear the appeal of a Jackson County decision blocking enforcement of most Missouri abortion laws and regulations.

Planned Parenthood Great Rivers Medical Director Margaret Baum said Tuesday the clinic had opened its books for patients to make abortion appointments starting next week.

The Missouri Supreme Court suspended abortion rights protected in the state constitution and sent the issue back to a Kansas City judge. But abortion services remain available at clinics on the Kansas side of the metro.

The Missouri Supreme Court handed down a ruling that struck down injunctions put in place last year by Jackson County judge Jerri Zhang, effectively re-instating the state's near-total abortion ban.

A bill that would limit abortion access in Missouri was sent to the state Senate on Thursday.

In-clinic abortion care has returned to Columbia after a long hiatus. KBIA’s Rebecca Smith takes us behind the scenes – on a tour of the local Planned Parenthood health clinic.

Officials at Planned Parenthood Great Rivers are awaiting approval of what’s known as a complication plan before offering medication abortions again.

This comes months after voters approved Amendment 3 legalizing abortion.

Officials from a Kansas City Planned Parenthood on Tuesday confirmed the first procedure has been performed since the state almost completely outlawed abortion in 2022.

Margot Riphagen has been Planned Parenthood Great Rivers’ vice president of external affairs since April of last year. She was a leader in the coalition of abortion rights supporters that led to Amendment 3 passing in Missouri.