Published 1 year ago • loading... • Updated 1 year ago
Anti-abortion pregnancy centers are looking to offer much more than ultrasounds and diapers
Over 2,600 anti-abortion centers in the U.S. expanded services like STI testing and primary care amid Planned Parenthood clinic closures and reduced Medicaid funding in 2023-2024.
In recent years, anti-abortion pregnancy centers have added medical services like STI testing and primary care as Planned Parenthood clinics close and more than 2,600 centers now operate.
After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade three years ago, state abortion bans and Medicaid changes accelerated pregnancy centers expanding clinical services, especially in Texas and Florida.
Some centers now advertise treatment options including unproven abortion-pill reversal therapies, and Alternatives Pregnancy Center, Sacramento, California has hired family practice doctors, radiologists, and OB-GYNs to deliver STI care.
Because many centers don't accept insurance, abortion-rights groups warn that these centers are the only health providers for some patients, risking limited ultrasounds and contraceptive access.
With state funding rising, nearly 20 states funnel public dollars to pregnancy centers, Texas and Florida have allocated substantial sums, and the U.S. Supreme Court reviews legal battles including a New Jersey probe.