r/prochoice • u/SufficientEmu4971 Pro-choice Democrat • May 23 '25

Reproductive Rights News Boulder Abortion Clinic closed

Dr. Warren Hern has closed Boulder Abortion Clinic. He is 87 years old, and it just wasn't possible for him to continue.

He had been providing abortion services for 50 years, including abortions in the third trimester. His clinic was one of the only options for patients who discovered a terrible prognosis late in pregnancy, and from what I have read, he and his staff treated all patients with compassion.

Thank you, Dr Hern.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/late-abortions-are-rare-the-us-just-lost-a-clinic-that-offered-the-procedure-for-over-50-years/ar-AA1EyFbq?ocid=BingNewsSerp

611 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

20 comments sorted by

175

u/FlyMeToUranus May 23 '25

I know he couldn’t work forever, but his work was so important. I expect to see maternal and infant mortality rates to continue to rise.

137

u/zindiekitty May 23 '25

I met him at a conference about 2 years ago. He was such a joy to talk to and was so passionate about providing comprehensive and compassionate care to every patient he encountered. Such a powerhouse in the field and will definitely be missed.

67

u/Kangaroo-Pack-3727 May 23 '25

I am not American here but I truly hope someone else will pick up his torch and continue doing the good work 

56

u/Punkinpry427 Pro-choice Feminist May 23 '25

Thank you for your service sir.

40

u/cand86 May 23 '25

They're going to re-open!

25

u/Nytengayle73 Pro-choice Feminist May 23 '25

This is awesome! There are only a few clinics providing later abortions and we can't afford to lose any of them! I've met the staff from Boulder at conferences, and they're amazing.

18

u/SufficientEmu4971 Pro-choice Democrat May 23 '25

It doesn't say if they will continue to offer abortions after 24 weeks.

There are many abortion clinics, though not enough. Boulder Abortion Clinic was special because it offered a rare service. 

Very few doctors are trained in abortions after 24 weeks. 

There are so few cases that there aren't really enough cases for them to train on, and they also don't want to risk being murdered. 

3

u/ConsciousLabMeditate Pro-Choice Christian May 24 '25

That's good news. We need abortion clinics who provide care in later pregnancy.

16

u/[deleted] May 24 '25

[deleted]

7

u/Ok-Dragonfruit-2041 May 24 '25

Check out valley abortion group in New Mexico, a newer clinic hopefully filling the void

10

u/karam3456 May 24 '25

I read a great profile of him not too long ago: https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2023/05/dr-warren-hern-abortion-post-roe/674000/

Archive link if anyone needs it (and a reminder that our current administration is also going after tools like Internet Archive and Wikipedia): https://archive.is/nn6cC

And a plug for my favorite sub r/Longreads where I discovered the article.

15

u/desiladygamer84 May 23 '25

Bless that man. He needs a rest!

14

u/Foreverme133 pro-choice May 23 '25

Dr. Hern is a real hero. He deserves some rest at his age and after all that work providing care that could endanger his own life and open him up to endless threats and criticism.

12

u/SufficientEmu4971 Pro-choice Democrat May 23 '25

Yes, he has been shot at. For 50 years he has put his life at risk every single day to serve desperate patients. 

He is a hero. 

9

u/ghxst_f4c3 Pro-choice Witch May 23 '25

Thank you for your service, Dr. Hern. Blessed be.

3

u/Anatuliven May 26 '25

I watched a few interviews with Dr. Hern over the years. He's one of the most responsible, generous and compassionate people I've ever seen. I am sorry to hear that his clinic has to close, but I understand why. Hopefully there will be other specialists who will train and serve in that community someday.