Planned Parenthood closing three Pennsylvania locations

Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania is closing three abortion facilities in the Pittsburgh area, citing staffing shortages amid a statewide nursing crisis.

The closures, which are temporary for now, include the organization’s downtown Pittsburgh location, scheduled to close Jan. 23; the Greensburg facility, which closed Jan. 10; and the Bridgeville location, which shut down in December. 

The Johnstown site will remain the only fully operational Planned Parenthood facility in the region, LifeNews reports. 

The abortion provider said it can no longer staff the affected centers after losing nearly half a dozen registered nurses and certified nurse practitioners in recent months. Recruitment efforts have failed to replace them, leaving the organization unable to keep all locations open. 

“Demand for registered nurses and nursing practitioners is at an all-time high at a time when fewer and fewer are available or looking to move jobs,” said Michael J. Gibson, communications director for Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania.

Gibson also pointed to regulatory pressures facing abortion providers as an additional barrier to hiring. 

“It’s much harder to convince a nurse to come to sexual and reproductive care from oncology when oncology isn’t having nearly as many regulatory changes made unilaterally on them,” Gibson said. 

Planned Parenthood said abortions will continue at its other Pennsylvania locations. 

The shutdowns come as new state data from the Pennsylvania Department of Health shows abortions dropped sharply in 2024 compared to the previous year. 

In total, 32,946 abortions were reported statewide in 2024 – 2,466 fewer abortions than in 2023.  

Pro-life advocates said the decrease reflects growing support for women facing unplanned pregnancies.

“Every abortion is a tragedy, but the decline in abortions in Pennsylvania is good news for women and babies,” said Maria Gallagher, executive director of the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation. “The dramatic drop demonstrates that more women in PA are getting the support they need to bring their babies into the world.” 

Gallagher credited pregnancy resource centers across the state for providing alternatives to abortion. 

“We are grateful to the many pregnancy resource centers in the Commonwealth, which offer comprehensive counseling and material aid to women in need,” she said. “These vitally important centers charge nothing for their services, which are a life-saver for many women and their children.” 

State data show women ages 25 to 29 accounted for the largest share of abortions, representing nearly 28% of the total. 

“No pregnant woman in Pennsylvania should feel as if she has to abort her child,” Gallagher said. “Many people stand ready to assist women and their babies to prevent the tragedy and trauma of abortion.”