Virginia's 'Busiest' Abortion Clinic Closing Down
An abortion clinic in the Commonwealth of Virginia known for being the "busiest" abortion clinic in the state has closed down.
NOVA Women's Healthcare of Fairfax County was denied a permit to stay open in July due in part to not being in step with new abortion regulations.
According to Tom Jackson of The Washington Post, even with the closure there is uncertainty as to whether or not the facility will reopen elsewhere.
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The clinic received its share of pro-life demonstrations, including prayer vigils organized by the Fairfax chapter of the group 40 Days for Life.
John Murray, coordinator for 40 Days for Life, told The Christian Post that he considered the news to be an answer to his prayers.
"We ran a number of 40 Days for Life campaigns at Eaton Place, sometimes 2 per year. We also had prayer vigils every Saturday morning for years," said Murray.
"We regularly brought signs and pro-life literature to hand out to women going in for abortions and although most women were directed to enter by the rear entrance (well away from us) we did record 'saves' from time to time."
Murray also told CP that back in May the NOVA Women's facility tried to get a permit to move to a large facility off of Main Street.
"We held Monday morning and afternoon rush hour vigils at the planned location at 10680 Main St., Fairfax for six or seven weeks in a row and rallied local churches to speak out at the May 14 city council meeting…the city rejected NOVA's application at the new location," said Murray.
Olivia Gans Turner, president of the Virginia Society for Human Life, told The Christian Post that the facility's closure was "very good news."
"I attended a hearing at the Fairfax City Council about two months ago where the people of the community really did let the city council fathers know that we definitely did want to see this type of business kept out of that community," said Turner.
When asked by CP about whether or not another facility may fill its vacancy in Fairfax, Turner responded that the issue was a "concern" for her organization.
"The problem that we are seeing is that Planned Parenthood is rolling in and filling these vacuums," said Turner, who noted that Planned Parenthood had recently opened new "megacenters" in places like Roanoke and Virginia Beach.
"So the business of abortion sadly will continue because Planned Parenthood is in that business. It is their industry."
Turner said she was unaware of any specific plans by Planned Parenthood to open a new facility in Fairfax to compensate for the loss of NOVA Women's Healthcare.
NOVA Women's Healthcare opened up its facility at a Fairfax office building in 2006. The Virginia Department of Health recorded that last year NOVA's Women's performed 3,066 abortions.
Tarina Keene, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia, said in a statement that she was "saddened" by the news.
"NOVA Women's Healthcare has provided safe, exemplary medical care in Northern Virginia for over 10 years, and was one of the largest women's health centers in the Commonwealth," said Keene.
"Its closure affects thousands of Virginia women and families, and leaves its many patients without their trusted healthcare provider."
