ST. LOUIS — Anti-abortion activist groups are taking part in a rally Friday in downtown St. Louis to celebrate Missouri becoming the first “abortion-free” state — a characterization disputed by the state’s only abortion clinic.

The “Abortion-Free Missouri Rally” will be held at noon outside the Old Courthouse.

The event was quickly organized this week to coincide with the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that legalized abortion, and after several conservative websites began reporting that abortion in Missouri has ended.

The stories were based on a Jan. 5 report by activist group Operation Rescue that stated it “has confirmed” that abortion appointments have not been available “for months” at Planned Parenthood’s clinic in St. Louis and all patients are being referred to Planned Parenthood’s clinic 18 miles away in Illinois.

In an interview Tuesday with the Post-Dispatch, Dr. Colleen McNicholas, chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood St. Louis, denied that all appointments are being referred to Illinois, but acknowledged that the number of procedures in Missouri is dwindling. Seven surgical abortions were performed in November and none in December.

The latest state health department data shows that between January and Nov. 15, just 39 surgical abortions were reported; compared with 1,362 in 2019.

Planned Parenthood officials say the numbers have dramatically decreased in Missouri because of Missouri’s 72-hour mandate requiring two in-person appointments, and patients wanting to limit the number of contacts and trips because of COVID-19.

The clinic has also faced efforts this year by the state to deny its license and ban abortion at eight weeks, which may have patients confused about the availability of the procedure. The latest Operation Rescue report only adds to the confusion, McNicholas said.

Friday’s rally is being organized by Defenders of the Unborn, a local organization led by Mary Maschmeier.

Maschmeier said she is unsure how many will attend the rally, which is scheduled to include speakers from several anti-abortion groups supporting the position that Missouri no longer provides abortions.

Mark Harrington, president of the activist group Created Equal, said he will be among seven people traveling from Columbus, Ohio, to attend.

The group is typically among the thousands who travel to Washington, D.C., for the annual March for Life event protesting the legality of Roe v. Wade.

This year’s March for Life will be held Jan. 29 and will take place virtually, with a livestream of speakers. Harrington said he’s happy to have a way to mark the day with an in-person event.

“This news of Missouri being an abortion-free state kind of got lost in all the inaugural and election stuff as far as making any kind of really big news, because it’s actually a big deal,” Harrington said. “So, we heard about this, and we are prepared to pivot, if you will, to come here and celebrate the first abortion-free state and to remember Roe v. Wade.”