Sex in the News: Crisis Pregnancy Centres

October 25, 2011 4:30 pm     Posted in News, Sex  Leah - Ryerson University g+ page


By Leah

There’s a lot going on when it comes to reproductive health these days. First Herman “anti-abortion but women should choose” Cain, found himself clarifying his stance on abortion. Then there’s been different state-issues on Crisis Pregnancy Centers.

In case you don’t have a background knowledge on Crisis Pregnancy Centers let me clear it up for you. A CPC, or pregnancy resource center (PRC), works to counsel women against have abortions. They’re non-profits, generally run by Christian organizations. In the United States there are about 4,000 of these centers, with about 20 states providing funding them.

In San Francisco, the Board of Supervisors voted 10-1 to ban these centers from practicing “false or misleading advertising practices.” There is a chance for the mayor to veto the action within the next 10 days. This measure hopes to protect women considering abortion and seeking counseling from being “counseled” by someone that is just trying to push a pro-life message.

Heading over to North Carolina, new “Choose Life” license plates are going to be on sale by the end of the year (though the ACLU is suing the state). Part of the plates profit will go towards CPCs. Also in NC, on Wednesday a state-run website will list where pregnant women can get ultrasounds, which will include any CPCs that offer the service. That day the “ultrasound law” goes into effect. The law forces women to have an ultrasound 72 hours before undergoing an abortion.

So what’s the problem? A 2006 congressional investigation into federally funded CPCs found the “vast majority” provided false or misleading information. A North Carolina pro-choice lobby group recently did their own study, finding 92 per cent of the centers did not have a medical professional on staff, though many of the employees dressed in lab coats. While obviously there is reason to be skeptical about a lobby group’s report, paired with the congressional investigation it does give cause for concern.

Some centers have staff telling women seeking counseling that abortions lead to breast cancer and future miscarriages, neither which have been proved by people that actually went to med school.

An op-ed contributor for the New York Times wrote about her experience with a crisis pregnancy centre in Iowa earlier this month. Based on her experience and talking to others, she’s come to the conclusion that CPCs are not helpful to women, and are hiding behind a facade of being “pro-women.”

16 Comments on "Sex in the News: Crisis Pregnancy Centres"

  1. Abby says:
    Tue, 25th Oct 20117:01 pm 

    Most people approaching these centers for help are probably already pro-life, thus if you really are pro-choice and want an abortion, you're probably not going to a CPC for help.

    And is it really so awful for people to be pro-life? I may not fully support it, but damn…I can understand the viewpoint. I'm not going to predictably/mindlessly blame the Christians or the Southerners for being stupid. That's ignorance.

  2. Emma says:
    Tue, 25th Oct 20117:16 pm 

    Ummm, actually many of the women who go to these centres have no idea that they are crisis pregnancy centres, as most of the CPCs actually advertise themselves as a place where women can recieve advice on/get an abortion. CPCs are very harmful because they use false advertising to lure women into their centres and then shame them for their choices. Thats what the big deal with CPCs are. Its not pro life women who are going to them for help, its all the other women who want to terminate a pregnancy, or who want to talk to someone about their options, and then get tricked into hearing the propaganda that CPCs espouse.

  3. Kylie - Vermont says:
    Tue, 25th Oct 20118:58 pm 

    If I were preggo, I'd sure as hell want to visit a Crisis Pregnancy Center 'cause me being with child would probably fall under a crisis category. Except I'd want to visit REAL crisis center — you know, one that would serve my crisis needs. But how awesome are these CPCs? I mean really, of course I want an ultrasound before I am due to get an abortion. Because who doesn't want to stare at the life inside you before you undergo this type of medical procedure? Way to go, North Carolina, way to go. I totally agree and think it's false advertising. It's not a Crisis Center, it's a Christian Pregnancy Center… aka Make You Feel Shitty For Terminating Your Pregnancy Center. I think any man telling me what I should do with my body is the most ignorant load of crap I've ever heard.

  4. Darwin Escorts says:
    Wed, 26th Oct 20111:57 am 

    That's really great! Now it's much easier for pregnant women to address their issues. I'm glad that these institutions came to be. :)

  5. Janelle says:
    Wed, 26th Oct 20115:08 am 

    I went to a CPC because I was pregnant and trying to figure out which path I was going to take. Being "pro-life" myself, I was searching for alternatives to an abortion. I had been in an abusive relationship with my child's father and was in need of information. The CPC I went to didn't have any doctor's on staff, and they were completely volunteer based. Everyone who worked at this CPC was a woman. (Just because you're "pro-life" doesn't mean you're a man).
    True, the CPC didn't have any medical advice for me. They did have pregnancy testing, and their main focus was to help expecting mothers by providing information on A) adoptions and B) parenting. The volunteers were very loving women, and it was a christian based center, but religion wasn't pushed on me, nor was I "guilted" for being a pregnant, unwed, 20 yr. old woman. These volunteers were trained (on their own time) to help those effected emotionally by the choice they made with their child. This CPC even provided support for other women who had emotional damage from abortions.
    Some CPC's may give "misleading" information, but from what I have personally experienced, they aren't evil because they are showing women other alternatives to abortion.

  6. Nina says:
    Wed, 26th Oct 20119:51 am 

    CPCs are incredibly misleading and there are always tons of stories of women who go there by accident when they meant to go to an abortion clinic. Having a baby is about so much more than giving birth. If these places really wanted to help, they would be called Crisis Parenting Centers and offer support AFTER the baby is born.

  7. britta says:
    Wed, 26th Oct 201111:20 am 

    why is it so bad that women have an ultrasound before an abortion? people are afraid that once the woman sees her child she'll freak and want to keep it? *GASP* THE HORROR! or maybe, MAYBE, she'll want to give her child up for adoption to a couple who is unable to conceive!

    killing your child >>>>>>> bringing a new life into the world.

  8. g says:
    Wed, 26th Oct 201111:44 am 

    haha, i think you meant bringing a new life into the world >>>>>>>>>>>>killing your child

  9. Ann says:
    Wed, 26th Oct 201112:38 pm 

    It's not so bad that women have an ultrasound before an abortion. It's bad that the state is trying to FORCE them to have an ultrasound. Whether you like it or not, abortion is legal in this country and every woman has the right to choose whether or not she wants her body to be a support system for a fetus for nine months. She also has the right to choose to do that without having an ultrasound. Abortions, or any other medical procedures, are draining enough as it is, there's no reason to try to make these women jump through hoops to get this procedure.

  10. marcy says:
    Thu, 27th Oct 201112:48 am 

    "Because who doesn't want to stare at the life inside you before you undergo this type of medical procedure?" You just called it a life within you. Ending a life=murder. I think its great you do get an ultrasound. Usually with ALL medical procedures(not just abortions) you get an ultrasound.

  11. Paige says:
    Thu, 27th Oct 201110:18 am 

    If you are determined to get and abortion and you accidently ended up at one of these centers, I'm pretty sure you would be able to leave and go to a place where you could receive information regarding the process on how to do that. These centers are simply providing information on the alternatives. Also I think that most people who were seeking advice on abortion would go to Planned Parenthood. Its definitely the most well known place to get information on abortion, so I doubt that these CPCs are really being THAT misleading. Everything in the world comes down to marketing. Crisis Pregnancy Center sounds better than Christian Pregnancy Center. If it was called a Christian Pregnancy Center people who were not christian would feel like they couldn't go there. Its the same reason people call themselves Pro-Choice instead of Pro- Abortion. It just is better marketing for their cause.

    As for the ultra-sound law, what is so wrong with being even more informed about your decision? The pregnancy is happening in your body. You should be able to look and it and understand what you are doing, not just be in denial about being pregnant. If you truly are ok with abortions, why should it bother you?

  12. Maria says:
    Thu, 3rd Nov 20113:19 pm 

    http://180movie.com/

  13. Chereen says:
    Wed, 9th Nov 20118:30 pm 

    Many choices today for babies coming into the world. Have Faith that you will be shown the way. http://duringpregnancyinfo.com

  14. Melissa says:
    Tue, 20th Dec 201111:23 am 

    I would just suggest that you be a bit more careful before generalizing every CPC as "misleading"….it's not fair to overgeneralize any demographic, CPC's included. There are PRC's out there that are really trying to help people, not shame them or push religious agendas. Humans are humans and everybody has their motivations. Just like you want your opinions to be heard and respected, don't jump on Christians or CPC's for being pro-life – that's their viewpoint and they're entitled to have it. Point is, there are many PRC's that are helping women, before, during and after the child's birth.

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