Preterm History
Preterm History
Preterm has provided safe, empathetic abortion care since 1974. Today, we're Ohio's largest independent, non-profit abortion clinic and provide abortions and sexual healthcare to roughly 5,000 patients annually.
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Through the ups and downs of abortion access in Ohio, Preterm has kept its doors open because of the generosity and commitment of countless staff members, donors, and community members.
To honor Preterm's 50th anniversary and the community members who helped us along the way, we've created a magazine with excerpts from annual reports, historical photos, and interviews to document our history from 1974 to 2024.
More About the Magazine
All of the magazine's contents were pulled straight from annual reports and interviews with Preterm staff (past and present). We also went through the Preterm Archives to find historical images to give readers a visual as they read through our history.
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Our goal was to give readers a clear idea of the hard work, time, and generosity that went into making Preterm what it is today. We're so thankful for the opportunity to share this history with you.
Photograph of Preterm Staff in the old location at 10900 Carnegie.
Preterm Historical Facts
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Preterm started as a counseling service for patients seeking abortion out of state before Roe v. Wade.
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Preterm was founded entirely by women.
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Since our start in 1974, Preterm has subsidized abortion care for patients who otherwise couldn't afford it. ​
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We've trained thousands of medical residents through partnerships with local hospitals.
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We've served as the lead plaintiff in several lawsuits against anti-abortion legislation in the state of Ohio, including the infamous "heartbeat" bill in 2019.
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Preterm was the first independent abortion clinic to unionize in 2021.
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We were a part of Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights, the coalition behind Ohio's 2023 Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety amendment.
Ad for Cleveland Women's Counseling (CWC), the phone line where Preterm's founders worked before starting the clinic.
Two of Preterm's founders, Mickey Stern (above) and Carolyn Buhl (left). Mickey served in multiple positions throughout her time at Preterm, and Carolyn was our first executive director.