The Pro-Life Action League and the Thomas More Society have just obtained a copy of the Medical Examiner’s Autopsy Report on Tonya Reaves, the 24-year-old woman who died on July 20, 2012, after a second trimester abortion at a Chicago Planned Parenthood abortion clinic.
According to Planned Parenthood of Illinois’ website, that particular Planned Parenthood location only provides birth control, the morning after pill and chemical abortions. Listed under “Abortion Services” the website states:
Abortion pill (medication abortion) is offered up to 9 weeks after the start of your last menstrual period. If your last period was more than 9 weeks ago, we can still help. Call us for a referral list of health care providers in your area that offer other abortion services.
However, page 5 of the autopsy report states according to her clinical history, Ms. Reaves had “an intrauterine pregnancy of 16 weeks estimated gestational age.”
According to the Medical Examiner, Planned Parenthood performed an incomplete abortion on Tonya Reaves at 11:00 AM on Friday morning, July 20th. She was not transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital until 4:30 PM, where they performed a second “suction D & E” at 5:30 PM.
At the hospital, Reaves complained of pain and the staff noted abdominal swelling and fluid accumulation. An ultrasound revealed a perforation on the left side of the uterus. At 10:12, Reaves was taken back into surgery for a hysterectomy, at which point they discovered an “uncontrollable bleed.” She did not regain consciousness and was pronounced dead at 11:20 PM in the operating room—twelve hours after her first surgery at Planned Parenthood.
The Autopsy Report indicates that her left uterine artery/vein was possibly transected, which caused the uncontrollable bleeding. Also interesting to note, even after two abortion procedures, there was still placental tissue found in her uterus during the autopsy.
FOIA requests filed immediately after the incident did not reveal a call from Planned Parenthood to 911, although the Medical Examiner’s report states that Reaves was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital by Chicago Fire Department ambulance at 4:30 PM.
Out of respect for the deceased we will not be posting the autopsy report, but we will provide a copy upon request. Contact the Pro-Life Action League at 773-777-2900.
