The Danger of Anti-Abortion Crisis Pregnancy Centers
Anti-abortion Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs) have one primary mission: to talk people out of having an abortion by any means necessary. CPCs often imitate real abortion clinics, spread false information, and offer ultrasounds by unlicensed volunteers.
CPCs pose as real clinics, but they are anti-abortion propaganda machines of the religious right.
Because many CPCs copy the name, branding, and location of abortion clinics, it can be difficult to tell the difference. If you’ve been fooled by a CPC before, you are not alone. Take the quiz and read on to learn the basic signs that a “clinic” might actually be a CPC.
Despite their disingenuous tactics and faith-based affiliations, anti-abortion CPCs often receive tax funding — a clear violation of the separation of church and state. We support pregnant people in making the decision that is right for them, free from coercion and disinformation.
The Birth of a Billion-Dollar Industry
Anti-abortion CPCs are a Catholic creation.
In 1967, Robert Pearson, a Catholic convert, established the first known anti-abortion pregnancy center in Hawaii, just seven years after it became a state. Robert Pearson later traveled to Toronto to start the first CPC in Canada, which later became Birthright International. In 1984, Pearson published the manual How to Start and Operate Your Own Pro-life Outreach Crisis Pregnancy Center, literally writing the handbook that institutionalized this system. CPCs have achieved widespread global presence by mimicking the structure and tactics of Christian missionaries.
Today, many CPCs present themselves as medical clinics, but they really belong to massive religious conglomerates. Care Net, one of the largest CPC networks in the country, boasting a network of over 1,000 fake clinics, was originally called the Christian Action Council.
The CPC industry consistently uses religion as an excuse for bad behavior. But at Catholics for Choice, we know that truly caring for one’s neighbor means affording them the dignity of accurate information and accessible care.
How to Spot an Anti-Abortion Crisis Pregnancy Center
It can be hard to tell a fake clinic from a real one — and that’s by design. The best way to identify a CPC is through these vetted lists from trusted leaders in the reproductive rights movement:
CPC Red Flags
- The center has a similar name or proximity to an abortion clinic.
- Staff members and their medical credentials are not listed on the website.
- Advertising uses language like “Pregnant and scared? We have options!”
- The bottom of their website includes a disclosure that they do not provide abortions.
- On the phone or in person, the receptionist won’t say whether they provide abortions.
- The website includes the following phrases to entice people with low-cost pregnancy and parenting services:
- Free ultrasounds
- Free pregnancy tests
- Free STI or STD testing
- Free diapers
- Free parenting classes
- The website advertises the following medically unsound and stigmatizing practices:
- Abortion pill “reversal” (which is fake and dangerous)
- Post-abortion healing circles and retreats, including Project Rachel
- Referencing so-called “abortion regret” or “post-abortion syndrome”
- Spreading false information about abortion risks
FAQs
Where can I find free abortion counseling and legitimate care?
If you are pregnant and unsure of how to feel or what to do next, call the All-Options Talkline at 1-888-493-0092 to speak with a trained counselor.
To find an abortion clinic or abortion pills near you, visit ineedana.com or abortionfinder.org.
Abortion funds can provide free or reduced abortion, travel, and childcare costs. Find the right abortion fund for you at abortionfunds.com.
Do anti-abortion Crisis Pregnancy Centers provide abortion and birth control?
No, anti-abortion Crisis Pregnancy Centers do not provide abortion or birth control. Additionally, they won’t refer people to a legitimate clinic to get care.
Do anti-abortion Crisis Pregnancy Centers have to comply with HIPAA to protect my data?
No, CPCs usually do not have to follow HIPAA. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) protects patients’ data and privacy. However, most CPCs are not licensed medical clinics, which means they can do whatever they want with our data.
Do anti-abortion Crisis Pregnancy Centers have doctors and nurses on staff?
Usually not. Many anti-abortion CPCs have no medical personnel on staff, so volunteers dressed in white lab coats run ultrasounds and pregnancy tests.
Do anti-abortion Crisis Pregnancy Centers receive taxpayer funding?
Yes, you are likely funding anti-abortion CPCs without realizing it. Many fake clinics receive state and federal funding even though they are religious organizations, which violates the separation of church and state.
What can I do to help?
- Share this page with people in your community.
- Know your local CPCs.
- Put up posters or flyers around the fake clinic.
- Host a CPC 1-star review party to warn others online. Catholics for Choice is co-hosting one with Abortion AF on Wednesday, May 27. RSVP here!
- Support legislation designed to combat fake clinics and protect patient privacy.
- If you’ve visited a CPC, volunteered at a CPC, or cared for a patient who went to one, share your story to let others know they’re not alone.
- Take the CPC quiz to sharpen your skills in identifying fake clinics.
