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Catholic World News News Feature

Mother of Three Dies after Planned Parenthood Abortion, Family Sues June 26, 2003

The family of a woman who bled to death after an abortion at a Planned Parenthood clinic is suing the abortion clinic and abortionist Mark Maltzer for the wrongful death. Diana Lopez, 25, bled to death after her 19-week-old unborn child was aborted in February 2002. A state report on the death said her cervix was punctured during the abortion causing uncontrollable bleeding.

The lawsuit says the abortionist, Maltzer, "worked so quickly, recklessly and negligently pulling out sharp body parts of Diana Lopez' 19-20 week-old unborn infant that severe, irreparable damage was done." According to a report released by the California Department of Health Services last week, the Planned Parenthood clinic was cited for six serious health code deficiencies related to the abortion.

Nonetheless, Associated Press reports that Maltzer continues to perform abortions at abortuaries in the Los Angeles area. He in under investigation by the Medical Board of California. Ed Szymkowiak, national director of the anti-Planned Parenthood group STOPP International, said, "It's amazing, in light of this latest revelation and their lack of openness about the medical standards of their clinics, that Planned Parenthood continues to claim with a straight face that they are even remotely interested in a women's health and well-being."

"Sadly, heinous acts of medical malpractice-- including the death of patients-- are nothing new at Planned Parenthood," said Szymkowiak. "In 2001, a San Francisco court decision awarded over $650,000 in damages to a Yugoslav immigrant whose pre-born child suffered the loss of two limbs during a botched abortion at Planned Parenthood. That same year, Planned Parenthood agreed to pay a New York woman $1 million because it had repeatedly insisted she did not have breast cancer when she did. And in 2000, a Missouri women went into a coma after a doctor at a Planned Parenthood clinic apparently placed an oxygen tube in her stomach instead of her lungs."