CPC Watch

Crisis Pregnancy Centers thrive on a woman's vulnerability. With an estimated 4,000+ CPCs currently operational in the U.S., it's likely that tens of thousands of women have, through no fault of their own, fallen victim to the misinformation and deceptive tactics used by these centers everywhere.

Remember, CPCs are not set up to help you; they're set up to limit a woman's options and enact an ideology. CPCs are not a localized phenomenon. They are not only located in the "Bible Belt" or in predominantly anti-choice areas. Our research has shown a far greater number of CPCs in areas with real family planning clinics and progressive abortion laws than in areas without. CPCs target women who are less likely to have a primary care physician or seek reproductive care at their family practitioner; CPCs are often set up near college campuses, in working class neighborhoods, and near clinics that provide abortions. With family planning clinics being shut down daily due to lack of funding or physical threats, many women struggle to find a legitimate reproductive health clinic. Many end up in CPCs out of desperation . Don't let your health and well-being be compromised for someone else's agenda!

Below are some tips you can use to find a real reproductive care clinic that will be honest about your options and respect your decisions.

Common Names of Deceptive Centers:

Pregnancy Care Center
Crisis Pregnancy Center
Pregnancy Resource Center
Open Arms
CareNet
Birthright
Problem Pregnancy Center
A Better Choice* (also called "ABC Centers")
ABBA Pregnancy Center

* While many CPCs have the word "life" in their names, a great number contain word "choice" (i.e. Birthchoice, A Better Choice, etc.) to fool potential clients into thinking it's a pro-choice clinic. Don't be fooled by rhetoric; CPCs are anything but "pro-choice."

Websites that provide false information and CPC referrals:

Avoid clinics that:

are listed in the phone book under "Abortion Alternatives" even if you are not seeking an abortion. All reproductive health clinics provide abortion alternatives whether or not they also provide abortions, but all centers listed under "Abortion Alternatives" are CPCs that merely provide misinformation and are not medical clinics.

advertise free pregnancy tests and/or sonograms.

won’t provide any straight answers regarding your options over the phone or in person.

won’t tell you whether or not they provide birth control or abortions.

offer store-brand pregnancy tests (E.P.T, etc) and use vague terms when discussing the results.

give you pamphlets that demonize abortion and glorify adoption.

make you watch anti-abortion propaganda videos before hearing the result of your pregnancy test.

staff no medical professionals (remember, sonogram technicians are not necessarily doctors!).

display pictures in pamphlets, on walls, or on forms that depict mangled and bloody “fetuses”.

are located in residential areas or in apartment complexes. In most states, real clinics are legally required to be located in an area zoned for commercial use only. Non-profits (such as CPCs), however, can be located in apartment buildings, in neighborhoods, and in people's houses.

make you feel guilty about your pregnancy or the options you are considering.

use inflammatory and/or fanatical language when discussing abortion with you.

If you find you are in a CPC, leave immediately and locate a medical health clinic as your alternative. When you find a real clinic, discuss your experience at the CPC and fact check all the information you got at the CPC with staff at the real clinic.

It's always a good idea, if possible, to bring a cell phone and a relative or friend when going to a clinic you are unsure about. We've received reports of CPC staff not letting clients leave when they want. If this happens to you, don't panic. Simply excuse yourself to the bathroom and call the police! If the CPC staff continues to harass you at home or at work, notify necessary authorities immediately.

Tips for finding a legitimate clinic:

If you’ve made an appointment at a real family planning clinic, don’t be fooled by other centers next door (or in the same building if in a shopping center) that claim to be a part of that clinic. This is a common tactic CPCs use. We’ve received a few testimonials of women walking into the wrong “clinic” because they displayed a sign reading “Register Here”, etc. Be sure you’re in the right place before giving any information.
Ensure the clinic you’ve chosen actually staffs medical professionals. Again, one does not have to be a doctor to operate a sonogram machine.
A sign reading “PP” does not mean it’s a Planned Parenthood clinic. Planned Parenthood heath centers usually display their full name on the sign. If it does not, call their hotline toll free at 1-800-230-PLAN to be sure you’re really at a Planned Parenthood clinic.
Some CPCs set up in mobile homes and RVs, allowing them to set up in the parking lots of real family planning clinics and on college campuses. If there is a "Mobile Pregnancy Unit" outside of a real clinic where you have made an appointment, avoid them and go straight into the real clinic.
Even if you are not necessarily seeking an abortion, you can rest assured that a clinic that does provide abortions will give you honest, unbiased information regarding your options. Clinics that provide abortions or abortion referrals will not pressure you into having an abortion.

To find a clinic that provides comprehensive options information:

Backline -- Free, unbiased options information
Planned Parenthood Heath Centers are located all over the U.S. and Canada. Their clinics provide women's healthcare, STD information and testing, contraception information and prescriptions, condoms, pregnancy tests, sonograms, and some provide abortions. If your local PPHC does not provide abortions, they can refer you to a clinic that does.
NAF Provider Information -- Find a licensed abortion provider who's a member of the National Abortion Federation