Planned Parenthood closes what was largest abortion clinic in America 

Planned Parenthood has closed what was once the largest abortion facility in the United States, located in Houston, Texas. 

The group’s 78,000-square-foot Prevention Park location in Houston shut down Sep. 30 as part of a restructuring plan. Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast is consolidating due to rising costs, staffing shortages and low reimbursement rates, Christianity Today reports. The clinic had about 170 employees. 

The building opened in 2010 after a $26 million construction project and served as both a clinic and an administrative hub. Pro-life groups said the center was capable of performing thousands of abortions each year before Texas banned the practice in 2022. 

For years, pro-life groups organized prayer vigils and sidewalk counseling outside the location. Many Houston-area pro-life organizations started in the neighborhood surrounding the facility. 

Pro-life leaders in Texas welcomed the closure. 

Mary Whitehurst, CEO of The Source, a pro-life women’s health care clinic, said the closure “still feels a bit surreal,” and taking on Planned Parenthood felt “a bit like David and Goliath.” 

Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast reported $22.2 million in revenue and $28.3 million in expenses in its most recent IRS filing. The affiliate’s net assets were $34.9 million. It operated multiple clinics in Texas and Louisiana before the Houston consolidation. 

Four other Houston-area clinics will continue to operate under Planned Parenthood’s Texas affiliate, which expects to serve over 100,000 patients annually, according to the Houston Chronicle. The group hopes to rehire some affected staff. 

The shutdown follows a similar development in Wisconsin.  

Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin said last month it would stop scheduling abortions beginning Oct. 1, after a federal appeals court allowed the Trump administration to block Medicaid reimbursements for the group’s non-abortion services. 

Planned Parenthood said the loss of Medicaid funding threatens its ability to operate. The group will continue providing other services while pursuing legal options. 

Pro-life groups in Wisconsin called the decision a victory, saying taxpayer money should not support organizations that perform abortions. 

“Taxpayer dollars should never fund the taking of innocent preborn lives,” Heather Weininger, executive director of Wisconsin Right to Life, said in a statement. “Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin has long centered its operations around abortion services, and this announcement only confirms that reality.   

“Women and girls facing difficult or unexpected pregnancies deserve compassion, real support, and life-affirming care – and that’s exactly what the pro-life movement is committed to providing,” she added.  

The Houston closure is the most visible retreat for Planned Parenthood since the new federal Medicaid rules took effect. Other states, including Louisiana, have also seen clinic closures.