When looking for a doctor to provide abortion care, women should research their options thoroughly. Here’s a little bit about Founder’s Women’s Health Center, our doctors, and our medical facility located in Columbus, OH to help you learn about us!

The Supreme Court Decision

On January 22, 1973 in the case of Roe v. Wade, the United States Supreme Court ruled against the anti-abortion laws in every state in the United States. However, these laws had to be challenged individually in each and every state.

The First Legal Abortion In Ohio



Dr. Harley M. Blank was asked by the American Civil Liberties Union to support them in the law challenge in Ohio. This challenge was successful and in February, 1973 Dr. Blank performed the first legal abortion in the State of Ohio. Over the next few months, Dr. Blank continued to perform abortions at his office along with his partner, Dr. Myron E. Moorehead while they developed the plans for opening the Founder’s Women’s Health Center.

Founder’s Women’s Health Center

On June 3, 1973, Founder’s Women’s Health Center opened at 340 E. Broad St., Columbus, Ohio with Dr. Blank, Dr. Moorehead and Dr. Walter Bond as owners. After Dr. Bond’s untimely death in 1977, Dr. Moorhead moved to New Orleans, Louisiana. Dr. Tony Sarin and Dr. Karl Schaeffer joined Dr. Blank as partners. When Dr. Sarin moved to Troy, Ohio in 1991, Dr. Robert Chosy took his place. Dr. Chosy retired in 2000 and Dr. Blank and Dr. Schaeffer have continued to operate Founder’s Women’s Health Center through the present.

Dr. Blank is a graduate of The Ohio State University’s class of 1964. He has 50 years of experience as an Ob/Gyn, and over three decades of work as an abortion provider in Ohio. In 2012 he was presented with the Freedom of Choice Ohio’s prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award for his dedication to protecting women’s access to safe, legal abortion care.

Founder’s Women’s Health Center has moved twice in 33 years and is now located in its own building. With each move, we have improved our facility and our ability to serve our patients in a quiet, personal, and friendly environment.

Founder’s Women’s Health Center Today

State Certified Ambulatory Surgical Facility (ASF)

Our home at 1243 E. Broad St., Columbus, Ohio has over 5000 square feet designed to provide a safe and comfortable environment while meeting the stringent standards of being a State of Ohio Certified Ambulatory Surgical Facility (ASF).

In order to be an ASF, all aspects of clinic operation must be inspected and approved by a State of Ohio Inspector. This includes business records, personnel records and staffing, medical record keeping, safety equipment, medical equipment, fire safety standards (as approved by the Columbus Fire Department), and all parts of building construction and maintenance. In addition to our doctors, our staff consists of registered nurses trained in Advanced Cardiac Life Support by the American Heart Association, medical assistants, trained patient advocates, and business personnel. Our staff is dedicated to the goal of supporting women to find a satisfactory resolution to an unplanned pregnancy. Most of our staff has been with us for over 20 years demonstrating both their experience and their commitment to this mission.

Patient Counseling

Our patients are our most valuable asset. Over the last 33 years 3 research papers have been written by graduate students at The Ohio State University defining our patient’s background and where they are from. As a result we know that our patients are representative of all women in Ohio, Northern Kentucky, Western Indiana, and Northern West Virginia. There are just as many college graduates, secretaries, school teachers, waitresses, store clerks, etc., as in the general population. The racial and religious backgrounds are also evenly distributed. An unplanned pregnancy recognizes no socioeconomic class, education, occupation, or religious origins.

Of course our primary responsibility is to provide abortion services for patients who want and need this service. However, we provide extensive counseling to make sure that this is the right decision for each patient. We offer referrals to adoption services, counseling and shelter for women who are experiencing abuse, referrals for pregnancy continuation, and referrals for women who need services for other psychological or emotional problems.

Other Services

In addition to abortion, we offer annual exams and Pap smears, exams for female related health problems, sexually transmitted disease testing, and birth control counseling and implementation.

Want to contact us?

We are located at 1243 East Broad St in Columbus, OH 43205. We can be reached at either of two phone numbers to answer any questions in a friendly, caring, professional manner:

(614)251-1800

(1-800)282-9490

Abortion care is something that 1 in 3 women will need safe, legal access to in their lifetime. Providing the most excellent care in these situations is our goal!