NEW YORK (Sputnik) — A doctor from Planned Parenthood Federation of America has admitted to selling body parts of aborted fetuses, pro-life nonprofit Center for Medical Progress announced in a statement on Tuesday.
“New undercover footage shows Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s Senior Director of Medical Services, Dr. Deborah Nucatola, describing how Planned Parenthood sells the body parts of aborted fetuses, and admitting she uses partial-birth abortions to supply intact body parts,” the statement read.
“We’ve been very good at getting heart, lung, liver, because we know that, so I’m not gonna crush that part, I’m gonna basically crush below, I’m gonna crush above, and I’m gonna see if I can get it all intact,” Nucatola is heard saying.
Furthermore, Nucatola explains how some abortions were modified to benefit potential organ buyers, according to the video.
“Most providers will do this case under ultrasound guidance, so they’ll know where they’re putting their forceps,” Nucatola is heard saying, referring to the extraction of the calvarium, the unborn child’s head.
As head of Planned Parenthood’s Medical Services department, Nucatola has overseen medical practice at all Planned Parenthood locations since 2009, the Center for Medical Progress added.
According to US law, the sale or purchase of human fetal tissue is a felony and is punishable by up to ten years in prison.
For its part, Planned Parenthood said the video had been heavily edited by the group, which was established to damage the Foundation's reputation.
"At several of our health centers, we help patients who want to donate tissue for scientific research," the Foundation's statement reads, "and we do this just like every other high-quality health care provider does — with full, appropriate consent from patients and under the highest ethical and legal standards."
"There is no financial benefit for tissue donation for either the patient or for Planned Parenthood."
Planned Parenthood has more than 700 health centers across the United States and facilitates approximately 81,000 abortions annually, according to its website.
In 2013, Planned Parenthood received 45 percent of its funding from the US government through grants totaling $540 million, according to the organization’s 2012-2013 annual report.
