NOVA Women’s Healthcare in Fairfax County, Va., recently closed its doors for good in the wake of new state regulations. According to the Virginia Department of Health, NOVA performed 3,066 abortions in 2012 alone, making it the busiest in the state.
The clinic’s lease had previously been terminated following a lawsuit brought by the building’s landlords, but its staff had been looking to re-open in a different location. NOVA’s request for a new building permit was denied in May because the space failed to meet city parking ordinances. The Fairfax City Council then amended its zoning laws in early July to require that all types of medical facilities obtain a special-use permit from the council, blocking future attempts to relocate. NOVA, however, had already decided to close up shop permanently, according to the Washington Post.
NOVA reportedly had a history of substandard care and botched abortions, including at least one patient death and another emergency hospitalization. New Virginia laws requiring facilities that provide abortions to meet hospital-grade health and safety standards presumably contributed to the clinic’s decision to remain closed following its legal troubles. It is one of 30 abortion clinics to close this year, and pro-life laws across the country will likely cause that number to continue to increase. Of the 42 clinics in Texas, for instance, it has been estimated that 37 fail to meet the new regulations passed by the state legislature.