Planned Parenthood of Idaho is no more.

The organization has merged with two others in Washington and Alaska to form Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest, officials announced Tuesday. The merger, official last Thursday, was approved in October by the organizations' boards, spokesman Brian Cutler said.

Cutler said the move was largely motivated by the economy. He noted that when he first joined the organization five years ago, it had 150 affiliates nationwide. That number's now down to 90, he said.

"You will see a lot of nonprofits around the country going to more of a merger model," he said.

Discussions on the merger took place for about a year.

Consolidating the three groups' operations should result in more resources going to health care across their 28 offices, Cutler said, including the one in Twin Falls. Though he wasn't sure exactly what changes that health center might see, he said the money saved could go to improve education programs and services.

Idahoans in general will also benefit from a larger, more coordinated advocacy operation, he said.

"There will be the increased power of this larger affiliate lobbying â€- on behalf of the citizens of Idaho," Cutler said.

No employees lost their jobs because of the merger.

The nonprofit still has the same purpose as a sexual and reproductive health care provider. The merger makes the new group Planned Parenthood's largest geographical affiliate in the nation. It's also now the second-largest division based on operating budget and number of patients.

Though Planned Parent-hood is most notorious as an abortion provider, such procedures make up only 5 percent of its services, Cutler said.

The affiliate covers all of Idaho except the state's northern nine counties.