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The remains of more than 2,000 foetuses have been found at the Illinois home of a former abortion doctor.

The family of Dr Ulrich Klopfer discovered the remains while sorting through the doctor's property after his death on 3 September.

Dr Klopfer had a clinic in South Bend, Indiana, which closed down when his licence was revoked in 2016.

He was accused of failing to report abortions performed on a 13-year-old girl to authorities.

He also failed to ensure staff were present during procedures, AP reported.

The doctor, whose records show he was an osteopathic physician, said he had never lost a patient in 43 years of carrying out abortions.

"Women get pregnant, men don't," Dr. Klopfer said during the hearing, according to the New York Times. "We need to respect women making a decision that they think is best in their life. I'm not here to dictate to anybody. I'm not here to judge anybody."

Authorities uncovered the remains of 2,246 foetuses in total.

The coroner's office has taken possession of the remains and launched an investigation.