Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast (PPGC) will close two Houston-area abortion facilities, including the 78,000-square-foot Prevention Park center, once the largest abortion clinic in the Western Hemisphere. The decision, effective September 30, comes amid increasing financial pressure and legal victories for the pro-life movement.
The closures follow the enactment of President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which restricts Medicaid funds from going to abortion providers. Though parts of the law faced court challenges, the Supreme Court recently allowed the Department of Homeland Security to proceed with key enforcement measures.
Shawn Carney, CEO of the pro-life group 40 Days for Life, called the news “massive” and said it reflects a national trend. “When abortions are restricted or alternatives are offered, Planned Parenthood closes, even at its most prosperous locations,” Carney said. He highlighted the availability of mobile ultrasound units outside the facility and efforts by volunteers to offer women real choices.
The Prevention Park facility, built in 2010 at a cost of $26 million, has long drawn criticism for performing late-term abortions and for being situated in a predominantly Hispanic and African American neighborhood. Opponents accused Planned Parenthood of targeting minority communities, fueling long-standing protests and investigations.
Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast cited staffing shortages, rising costs, and low Medicaid reimbursement rates as reasons for shutting down the locations. President Melaney Linton of PPGC called the move “heartbreaking,” blaming decades of “orchestrated efforts” by lawmakers to limit abortion access.
Despite the closures, Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast will maintain other operations in Houston and Louisiana. Four remaining Texas clinics will be folded into Planned Parenthood Greater Texas.
Pro-life leaders argue that this development signals a turning tide in post-Roe America. With states empowered to enforce abortion restrictions and redirect public funding, even high-profile abortion centers are proving unsustainable.
