BOISE, Idaho — Stanton Healthcare hosted their fourth annual Lawmakers Symposium at the Idaho Statehouse Thursday to discuss how elected leaders can support their self-described 'life-affirming care' clinics.
"We actually have an 18-month program. So, the women come to us for the duration of their pregnancy and a minimum of 9 months afterwards," Stanton Founder and CEO Brandi Swindell told KTVB. "Since there is now [an abortion] ban in Idaho. We are busier than ever."
Stanton did not provide KTVB with exact numbers to show the increase in demand for their services.
Abortion has been banned in Idaho since Aug. 25, 2022 with few exceptions.
These exceptions include an instance of rape properly reported to police, incest, or a doctors decision to save the mother’s life. KTVB previously reported concerns among doctors about the grey area of these exceptions which could lead to an unintended illegal abortion.
Abortion advocates argue the exceptions allowing abortion are not exceptions at all due to assumed guilt of an 'affirmative defense.' Any abortion must be proven to be legal, rather than the burden of proof needing to prove any abortion illegal.
Stanton has expanded their operations outside Idaho; however, their Idaho clinics are entirely funded through donation, according to Swindell. Stanton received their third-party accreditation from the Ambulatory Health Care Accreditation in the summer of 2022.
"A third-party came in and audited our clinics, our medical staff, and our work. We have gotten that seal of approval," Swindell said. "Women deserve hope when they are facing an unexpected pregnancy. They deserve exceptional care."
At the symposium, several Stanton clients shared stories about how Stanton removed barriers to allow them to keep their pregnancy.
"I grew up Christian. I never believed in [abortion]. I knew it was wrong," Stanton client Jacey Jensen said. "I knew it was not something I wanted. But when life gives you a really hard circumstances and there is an option, sometimes you feel like you have to take that option."
Jacey's child was conceived out of wedlock; her pregnancy was 'not celebrated' by friends and family. She called the reaction a 'rejection.' She walked into a Planned Parenthood asking about the option of abortion.
"They didn't ask who I was. They didn't ask my story. They didn't ask how far along I was," Jacey said. "Right across from Planned Parenthood was Stanton healthcare. I remembered hearing about them. I remember saying out loud, 'I'm gonna go in there. If they can change my mind, Then I will let them. If not, I will go back to Planned Parenthood.'"
Jacey kept her child. She considers her experience at Stanton to be 'life saving.'
"When I saw my baby's heartbeat for the first time, there was no getting an abortion for me," Jacey said.
KTVB asked Planned Parenthood Great Northwest Hawai‘i, Alaska, Indiana, Kentucky (PPGNHAIK) to explain the process of taking in a new patient considering abortion.
"Providing comprehensive, compassionate information to support patient decision-making is at the core of all services we provide," PPGNHAIK wrote KTVB. "As part of their appointment, patients talk with their providers and are presented with all of their options. We trust our patients to make the best decisions for themselves, their circumstances and their families. Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawaii, Alaska, Indiana, Kentucky fully complies with Idaho law which requires us to share information about the abortion procedure as well as abortion alternatives with every patient we see."
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