Pregnancy centers in the U.S. that discourage women from getting abortions have been adding more medical services — and could be poised to expand further.
The expansion — ranging from testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections to even providing primary medical care — has been unfolding for years. It gained steam after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade three years ago, clearing the way for states to ban abortion.
The push could gain more momentum with Planned Parenthood closing some clinics and considering shuttering others following changes to Medicaid. Planned Parenthood is not just the nation’s largest abortion provider; it also offers cancer screenings, STI testing and treatment, and other reproductive health services.
“We ultimately want to replace Planned Parenthood with the services we offer,” said Heather Lawless, founder of Reliance Center in Lewiston, Idaho. She indicated that about 40% of patients at the anti-abortion center are there for reasons unrelated to pregnancy, including some who use the nurse practitioner as a primary caregiver.
The changes have frustrated abortion-rights groups, who oppose the centers’ anti-abortion messaging and claim they lack accountability. Critics also point out that many don't provide birth control and their ultrasounds are limited, as the staff conducting them often lack the necessary training for diagnosing fetal anomalies. Moreover, many centers now offer unproven abortion-pill reversal treatments.
As of 2024, more than 2,600 anti-abortion pregnancy centers operated in the U.S., up by 87 from 2023, according to studies. This growth is noted while over 765 clinics offered abortions last year, a decline of more than 40 from the previous year. The expansion of pregnancy centers is coupled with an increase in taxpayer funding in nearly 20 Republican-led states which have funneled millions to these organizations.
These developments culminate in a shifting landscape for reproductive health, where pregnancy centers are increasingly becoming the alternative for women as traditional clinics like Planned Parenthood face closures amid stringent funding constraints, raising significant implications for women's health services across the nation.
