Family Planning Associates Medical Group (FPA) was founded in 1969, soon after abortion became legal in California. At that time it was called the Avalon-Slauson Medical Group. All of the pregnancy terminations and other medical services were performed at Avalon Memorial Hospital in Los Angeles.In many states, abortion was legal only for cases in which continuance of the pregnancy would be life threatening. California law was relatively liberal and many women came from Arizona, Colorado, Texas, and other states to receive legal abortions