The Virginia Board of Health on Friday gave final approval to new regulations for abortion clinics that will force them to spend large sums on renovations that abortion rights advocates say are medically unnecessary.

Hotly debated for two years, and now a point of contention in the campaign for governor, the new rules, which impose architectural requirements and mandate state inspections of clinics, were described by abortion foes as vital to women’s welfare.

“We are extremely pleased that the Board of Health saw fit to ensure safety standards for the women of Virginia who enter these clinics,” said Victoria Cobb, president of the Family Foundation of Virginia.