ST. LOUIS (AP) -- An autopsy was performed Saturday on a woman who died shortly after having an abortion at a clinic here. An official with the St. Louis Medical Examiner's office said late Saturday that results of the autopsy won't be available until Monday.
The 22-year-old woman, whose name has not been released, underwent a first-trimester abortion Friday at Reproductive Health Services in St. Louis. The procedure was completed about 2 p.m. But staff members noticed that the woman's vital signs were not improving, said Paula Gianino, president of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region, which operates Reproductive Health Services.
The woman died a short time later at Barnes-Jewish Hospital.
Pam Manning, spokeswoman for Missouri Right to Life in St. Louis, said the death should serve as a warning to lawmakers to strengthen regulation of abortion clinics.
``If we're going to offer this procedure to women in this state, for God's sake, let's make it safe,'' Ms. Manning said. ``It's absolutely tragic, so needless.''
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Autopsy results were expected Monday in the death of a woman who underwent an abortion. The doctor who performed the abortion has twice before had patients die soon after the procedure.
Robert D. Crist of Overland Park, Kan., a Kansas City suburb, performed the surgery on the 22-year-old woman Friday at Reproductive Health Services in St. Louis. The woman's name has not been made public.
Staff members noticed her vital signs were not improving following the abortion, said Paula Gianino, president of Planned Parenthood in St. Louis, which operates the clinic.
The woman was taken to Barnes-Jewish Hospital, where she died a short time later. She was in the first three months of her pregnancy.
An autopsy was performed Saturday, but results were not immediately released.
Crist has an unlisted phone number and could not be reached for comment Sunday by The Associated Press. He performs abortions in Kansas City and St. Louis. He formerly worked at a Houston clinic as well.
Crist has performed more than 100,000 abortions during his career, Brous said. Twice before, his patients have died, she said. He has also faced legal actions involving his medical practice in Texas and Missouri, including one lawsuit alleging wrongful death.
In St. Louis in 1981, Diane Boyd, a severely retarded 19-year-old, died of a reaction to a painkiller, two days after an abortion performed by Crist, The Kansas City Star reported Sunday.
In Houston in 1991, Latachie Veal, 17, died of severe bleeding hours after Crist performed an abortion on her, The Star said. He was cleared of any medical wrongdoing.
The AP has also obtained copies of seven lawsuits filed against Crist. Most claim injuries or neglect during abortion procedures. One, filed by Veal's parents, claimed wrongful death and sought $1 million in damages from Crist and West Loop Clinic in Houston.
Among the others:
Gianino also was unaware how the lawsuits were resolved.
Pam Manning, a spokeswoman for Missouri Right to Life in St. Louis, said the woman's death should spur legislation in Missouri to make abortions.
``As long as abortion is going to be legal, let's do what they said they were going to do: make it safe,'' she said.