Planned Parenthood sorry over death of mother, 24, during Chicago abortion

Planned Parenthood has offered condolences to the family of Tonya Reaves, who hemorrhaged to death following an abortion at one of its Chicago clinics.

Reaves, 24, mother of a 1-year-old boy, died July 20 after undergoing what CBS News described as a “cervical dilation and evacuation” abortion procedure in the Planned Parenthood clinic at 18 S. Michigan Avenue.

According to the Cook County medical examiner’s office, although the abortion procedure contributed to Reaves’ death an intrauterine pregnancy was also blamed and her death was ruled an accident.

Reaves' twin sister, Toni, told CBS that she and Tonya “were born the same day. She was my other half. It happened so fast. She was just fine one day — and then the next day she was gone. We're just trying to figure out what happened."

Reaves said her sister was engaged to be married and Alvin, her son, had just had his first birthday.

Planned Parenthood of Illinois President and CEO Carole Brite, quoted by DigitalJournal, said that while the organization cared for the health and safety of patients, "We do not publicly discuss private patient matters and we follow HIPAA laws that forbid the disclosure of patient information."

Brite's statement added that the abortion giant was "shocked and saddened upon learning of a tragic development at a nearby hospital. Our hearts go out to the loved ones of this patient."

Brite insisted that "legal abortion services in the United States have a very high safety record." 

Pro-lifers seized on the death, renewing their call for a congressional investigation into the abortion provider, the Christian Post reported.

"We must not allow Tonya Reaves to have died in vain, but rather heed this warning and call on Congress to exercise its full capacity to investigate Planned Parenthood," the Post cited Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser as saying in a statement.

"As the nation's largest abortion provider, in 2010 alone Planned Parenthood ended the lives of 324,008 unborn children and ill-served their mothers."

Troy Newman of the pro-life group Operation Rescue, called Reaves' death unnecessary, according to the New American.

"Abortion deaths like this are completely avoidable,” Newman said in a statement. “When a woman bleeds to death after an abortion, it is usually an indication of error on the part of the abortionist coupled with a delay in calling for emergency assistance. Our heartfelt prayers go out to the victim’s family at this time of tragic loss."

More from GlobalPost: Pope visits staunch pro-life town