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Report Says Federally Funded Pregnancy Centers Mislead Teens on Abortion
July 21, 2006 9:26 AM
Federally funded pregnancy centers mislead pregnant teens about the medical risks of abortion, according to a report released this week by Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA).
Female investigators posing as pregnant 17-year-olds seeking advice telephoned "crisis pregnancy centers" that receive funding from the Department of Health and Human Services. Twenty of 23 centers reached "provided false or misleading information about the health effects of abortion," said the report.
The report says there were three major topics of misinformation: first, the purported relationship between abortion and breast cancer; second, the purported relationship between abortion and infertility; and third, the purported relationship between abortion and mental illness.
According to the investigators, in one instance, a center compared the post-traumatic stress of an abortion to that seen in soldiers returning from Vietnam and said that it "is something that anyone who's had an abortion is sure to suffer from."
"This tactic may be effective in frightening pregnant teenagers and women and discouraging abortion," the report concludes. "But it denies teenagers and women vital health information, prevents them from making an informed decision, and is not an accepted public health practice."
Heartbeat International, one of the pro-life groups mentioned in the report, says that the report minimizes the emotional aftereffects of abortion and that there are studies that connect abortion to both breast cancer and infertility.
"It's a shame that taxpayer money is being used to support the abortion lobby, and to hinder and smear the good work of life-affirming, faith-based pregnancy centers," said Peggy Hartshorn, President of Heartbeat International.
Earlier this year, Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) introduced a bill asking that groups like Heartbeat International and others be required to identify themselves as pro-life groups.
"When women are making a health decision, they should never be subject to deceit and trickery," said Maloney.
"Some of these Crisis Pregnancy Centers should be called 'Counterfeit Pregnancy Centers.' They have the right to exist, but they shouldn't have the right to deceive in order to advance their particular beliefs," Maloney added.
July 21, 2006 | Permalink | User Comments (28)
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The pregnancy resources centers do have data to back up their claims. They are not throwing out information with no backing. Since there is research that proves their point, why should they not be allowed to tell women? Why would we ever hid information from women? Everyone keeps saying that women should be allowed to make an informed decision, but in the same breath they say women should not be told the information from the pregnancy resource centers. Why would we not allow women to hear both sides?
Posted by: April | Jul 27, 2006 4:36:52 PM
I'M PRO CHOICE. THE TIME TO MAKE THE PROPER CHOICE IS BEFORE YOU HAVE AEXUAL INTERCOURSE.
Posted by: LEWIS | Jul 28, 2006 5:06:49 PM
I beleive in the freedom of speech and the freedom of the press, But it sounds to me like there is a great miscommunication going on. The truth is that the only pregnancy decision health centers that receive government funding are in one state. And as for the linkage between abortion and breast cancer, that is something that is still being researched and debated, so there is a possibility. As for the linkage between abortion and infertility, it IS a possibility. The linkage between abortion and negative mental and emotional affects....is a possibility too. In fact, there are a good handful of women that go through an abortion and end up suffering from some kind of emotional consequence. Look, nothing is definate, but everything is a possibility, and some where there is at least one woman that has experienced one of these, otherwise, there would be no basis. And as far as helping these girls and women make informed decisions, that is waht all this information is for: not a scare tactic, but to give them a well rounded view: this is what to expect, and here are some possible long term risks. I would hope in the future if an inflamatory article like this is going to be written, it would be more informative and less bias.
Posted by: Anne | Aug 3, 2006 8:11:36 AM
Hi,
I have never had an abortion, had a miscarriage a few years ago. I have not been the same since then. But of course, I have wanted a child for many years now and had finally found Mr. Right.
I am on disability and my insurance does not cover fertility treatments, since Medicare does not. In the meantime, I am finding myself in such a lost state not having any options to go in--instead of spending a great deal of money on a fertility doctor.
Yet, I do believe that it is an individual choice as to what a woman does with her own body. I cannot see how you can force a person to carry a child to full term. Especially if the person does not want the baby.
I keep praying that there is still an avenue for me to go down, I just don't know where it is yet. I understand that there are grants out there that cover fertility programs. Are there any in Florida?
I feel like I am being punished for something I had no control over and I hope to be able to have a child one day.
Hope with all this talk about choice that there is somebody out there that can help me.
Posted by: Carolyn | Oct 10, 2006 9:30:29 AM
Face- and breast-eating trophoblastic pregnancy cancers and smelly bladder and bowel childbirth tears are GOOD reasons for abortion.
Posted by: Mary | Nov 18, 2006 5:06:24 PM
i belave the funds for aspintce would be theatnend if they dont comply with some unwriten requests and not nessarly the veiw of the clinic but the the veiw of a pollytican no mater ur veiw on abortion it is wrong to lie about the health afects of abortion or any other prucdure
exasmample i dont like womenn with breast inplants i like to see reel 1s but i wont tell any 1 to not get brest implants and make up some bull but would say get some consloetation now that would mean accraute and not missleading consloletaion
Posted by: tom | Oct 28, 2007 9:20:02 PM
i think it is ok to be teen and pregnant because, i am 15 and am 8 and a half months pregnant. i had a choise to do this and i think it was the right choise.
Posted by: katie | Apr 23, 2008 3:12:54 PM
i think that being a pregnant teen messes ur hole life up u have to drop out of school get a job and every one looks at you like what was she thinkin you have to think about the things youll need and what you are messing when you bring your baby in a world with nothing because you cant aford it but if you get pregnant you should NOT get an abortion because it was your falt you got pregnant not the babys falt so why kill an inocent person for a mistake you commeted!!!!!
Posted by: stephanie | Apr 29, 2008 10:37:39 AM
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