Saint Luke's resumes offering Plan B after raising concerns over Missouri's abortion ban

Saint Luke’s Health System — which operates 17 hospitals, pharmacies and urgent care clinics in the Kansas City area — has resumed offering emergency contraceptives, a day after announcing it would stop providing Plan B over concerns its clinicians could be prosecuted under Missouri’s abortion ban.

Following last week’s U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, and Missouri's subsequent "trigger ban" taking effect, abortion providers can now face criminal prosecution and prison sentences ranging from five to 15 years.

In a statement early Wednesday, Laurel Gifford, a spokesperson for Saint Luke’s, said the hospital network made its initial decision out of an abundance of caution.

“To ensure we adhere to all state and federal laws — and until the law in this area becomes better defined — Saint Luke’s will not provide emergency contraception at our Missouri-based locations,” Gifford said.

At a news conference in St. Louis Tuesday, Gov. Mike Parson was unclear on whether people should be worried about access to birth control. He said the health department was in the process of clarifying the law.

But on Wednesday, Chris Nuelle, a spokesperson for Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, told the Missouri Independent that Missouri law "does not prohibit the use or provision of Plan B, or contraception.”