Avoiding Misinformation from Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs)
Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs) are organizations that often provide misleading or false information about pregnancy options to dissuade people from seeking abortions. These centers may not offer accurate medical advice and could try to steer you away from making informed decisions about your healthcare. Here’s what you need to know to avoid misinformation and find trustworthy healthcare resources.
What You Need to Know:
1️⃣ What Are Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs)?
Misleading Services: CPCs are not medical clinics and are often run by anti-abortion organizations. They may provide misleading information about pregnancy, abortion, and contraception, and sometimes provide false or unproven medical advice.
Free Pregnancy Tests: While some CPCs offer free pregnancy tests or ultrasounds, these services are not medically regulated and can sometimes be used to pressure people into choosing alternatives to abortion.
Limited Resources: Unlike healthcare providers, CPCs often do not offer full medical services like actual counseling or abortion referrals.
2️⃣ Know Your Rights:
Right to Accurate Information: You have the right to receive fact-based, non-judgmental healthcare. If you’re seeking an abortion or information about pregnancy options, seek out licensed healthcare providers who offer complete, accurate, and impartial information.
Right to Choose: No one, including a CPC, can pressure you into making a decision about your pregnancy. You have the right to make decisions about your body and reproductive health without feeling coerced or misled.
Privacy Protection: Unlike CPCs, legitimate healthcare providers are required to keep your medical information private and confidential under HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act).
3️⃣ How to Identify a CPC
Non-Medical Staff: CPCs are often staffed by volunteers or individuals without medical training. They may not provide information from licensed healthcare professionals.
Anti-Abortion Messaging: CPCs typically advertise their services as alternatives to abortion and often promote anti-abortion rhetoric. Be cautious if you encounter language that attempts to dissuade you from making a choice.
Lack of Medical Services: CPCs often do not provide comprehensive healthcare services like abortion care, birth control, or prenatal care, and may provide medical information that is unverified or inaccurate.
4️⃣ Where to Find Trustworthy Care
Planned Parenthood: Offers accurate, fact-based reproductive healthcare including abortion services, birth control, STI testing, and counseling, all with the goal of providing non-judgmental care.
National Abortion Federation (NAF): Provides a directory of trusted abortion providers who offer safe, medically accurate care.
Your Healthcare Provider: Speak with a licensed healthcare professional who can give you accurate, evidence-based information about your options and help you understand the next steps.
Helpful Tip:
When seeking reproductive healthcare, always make sure that your provider is licensed and regulated. If you have doubts about a center or service, don’t hesitate to call and ask about the qualifications of the staff and the services they provide. Trust your instincts and always seek medical care from trained professionals who prioritize your health and safety.
To determine if a center is a Crisis Pregnancy Center (CPC) or a legitimate clinic, ask these questions:
Are you a licensed medical facility?
Do you have licensed healthcare professionals on staff?
Do you provide or refer for abortion services?
Do you offer birth control or STI testing?
Are pregnancy tests and ultrasounds administered by medical professionals?
Do you provide accurate, unbiased counseling about all pregnancy options?
A legitimate clinic will provide medical services and impartial information, while CPCs may not offer full medical care and often have an anti-abortion agenda.
Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs) are not considered medical providers, so they are not required to follow privacy laws like HIPAA, which protect patient information at licensed healthcare facilities. While some CPCs may adhere to state privacy laws, they do not have the same confidentiality protections as medical clinics. This means your personal information, such as your pregnancy status, could potentially be shared with third parties or used to influence your decision.
