A California OBGYN is planning to build a floating abortion clinic on federal waters free from state restrictions

According to the Insider article written by:
Julia Naftulin- Jul 30, 2022, 7:30 AM

Dr. Meg Autry is working with legal and maritime experts to build an abortion clinic on a boat on the Gulf coast of Mexico.
Dr. Meg Autry is working with legal and maritime experts to build an abortion clinic on a boat on the Gulf coast of Mexico. Google Maps/Insider
Dr. Meg Autry is a California OBGYN who provides abortions. She’s planning a clinic on a boat in federal waters.
The boat would primarily serve people in southern states where abortion is heavily restricted.
Autry is currently seeking funding, researching boats, and looking into legal obstacles for the first-of-its-kind project.

Dr. Meg Autry knows more about boats and maritime law than your average gynecologist.

Autry, a California-based OBGYN and abortion provider for 30 years, never expected her career to involve researching ocean vessels. But when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June, Autry decided to pursue a plan she’d been thinking about for years, a floating abortion clinic on federal waters free from state restrictions. 

A Mississippi native, Autry was intrigued by the riverboat casinos she saw during childhood. She wondered what made gambling on the water legal when it wasn’t allowed on land, and if that concept could be applied to other actions individual states prohibit.

About five years ago, the idea for a floating abortion clinic popped into her head as she noticed more threats to abortion rights and experienced hostile situations while she provided abortions. When former SCOTUS Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died and the Supreme Court became a conservative majority soon after, Autry said it felt more urgent than ever.


“And so I was constantly thinking about, ‘What are some innovative and creative ways that we could provide access?'” Autry told Insider.

Autry is currently looking for funding and anticipates legal obstacles
At first, Autry wanted her clinic to float in the Mississippi River. Currently, there are no abortion clinics in the state, and the procedure is banned after six weeks of pregnancy.

During initial talks with lawyers who specialize in reproductive rights and maritime law, Autry learned that location choice would come with severe legal restrictions. As they awaited the SCOTUS decision about Roe v. Wade, Autry’s team settled on the Gulf Coast of Mexico.

This way, a floating clinic can serve people in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida.


Now, Autry is seeking funding to buy a boat and retrofit it with medical equipment under the non-profit PRROWESS, or Protecting Reproductive Rights Of Women Endangered by State Statutes. For their clinic needs, it must be at least 45 meters long, but they don’t need something as large as a cruise ship or military vessel, Autry said.

Once they have a boat, she hopes the clinic will be up and running within a year once it meets both clinical and maritime standards.

Abortion seekers in southern states need more clinic options
Autry’s primary goal is to serve and protect abortion seekers with limited options.

In Texas, for example, all abortion services shut down following the SCOTUS decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Now, Texans seeking abortions must cross state lines to places like New Mexico. Often low-income, they may not have the time off work or money to afford a flight or long drive to get the care they seek.


“This is potentially the quickest, closest options for some of those patients,” Autry said.

She was hesitant to share certain details of her plan, like sketches of the clinic setup and her ideal vessel, with Insider, citing potential future security issues and the increasing criminalization of abortion care.

“We know how dangerous it is for patients and providers,” Autry said.

There’s already public interest in the floating abortion clinic. Autry said she’s received funds from small donors and offers to volunteer from legal, maritime, and medical experts in abortion-restricted states.
The outpour of support has been really unexpected, exciting, heartwarming, and gut-wrenching,” Autry said.

These scriptures came up to the glory of God:

Why do You stand afar off, O Lord? Why do You hide in times of trouble? The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor; Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised. For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire; He blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord. The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts. His ways are always prospering; Your judgments are far above, out of his sight; As for all his enemies, he sneers at them. He has said in his heart, “I shall not be moved; I shall never be in adversity.” His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and oppression; Under his tongue is trouble and iniquity. He sits in the lurking places of the villages; In the secret places he murders the innocent; His eyes are secretly fixed on the helpless. He lies in wait secretly, as a lion in his den; He lies in wait to catch the poor; He catches the poor when he draws him into his net. So he crouches, he lies low, That the helpless may fall by his strength. He has said in his heart, “God has forgotten; He hides His face; He will never see.” Arise, O Lord! O God, lift up Your hand! Do not forget the humble. Why do the wicked renounce God? He has said in his heart, “You will not require an account.” But You have seen, for You observe trouble and grief, To repay it by Your hand. The helpless commits himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless. Break the arm of the wicked and the evil man; Seek out his wickedness until You find none. The Lord is King forever and ever; The nations have perished out of His land. Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear, To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, That the man of the earth may oppress no more.
Psalms 10:1‭-‬18 NKJV

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward.
Psalms 127:3 NKJV

Repent and turn to Christ. Forgiveness is there for you. CHOOSE LIFE LADIES!!!!!!! Remember to trust God cry, repeat, God bless you.