NARAL Pro-Choice California Work on "Crisis Pregnancy Centers" Covered by NBC

NARAL Pro-Choice California's release of an undercover investigative report on anti-choice "crisis pregnancy centers" (CPCs) has revealed a host of disturbing information on how these organizations manipulate and misinform women. Over the last two years, NARAL Pro-Choice California sent undercover volunteers to 14 CPCs and called 200 CPCs statewide to confirm anecdotal reports about their deceptive practices.

Their report is making major headlines. On August 16, NBC Bay Area aired an interview with NARAL Pro-Choice California's Meghan Doran about the findings. Our favorite quote: "We found systematic approaches of manipulation, intimidation and false advertising." Watch the full interview:

The majority of CPCs that NARAL Pro-Choice California contacted provided shockingly false information to promote their anti-choice agenda and block women from choosing abortion:

• Sixty percent advised that condoms are ineffective in reducing pregnancy and the transmission of certain STDs
• Seventy percent advised that abortion increases the risk of breast cancer
• Eighty-five percent advised that abortion increases the risk of infertility and
• Eighty-five percent of CPCs in our study advised that abortion leads to mental health problems

Let's be clear: all of these statements are false.

Despite being one of the most pro-choice states in the country, CPCs in California outnumber legitimate clinics five to one, and can be found in 91 percent of counties. They often place themselves near legitimate health clinics to intentionally confuse women seeking abortion.

What is even more disturbing is that 69 percent of these CPCs advertised their counseling as "unbiased," despite the fact that they usually had no medical certification, provided false information, and never even mentioned abortion as an option. Only 21 percent of investigators actually saw a nurse or doctor. The rest went to unlicensed clinics that, by exploiting a loophole, continue to legally operate as long as women read their own pregnancy tests. One NARAL Pro-Choice California volunteer was horrified when asked to administer her own urine test, while a volunteer with no medical training watched.

Every year around three million American women find themselves facing an unplanned pregnancy. These women deserve unbiased and medically accurate information that will help them to make an informed choice.

Hopefully the hard work of NARAL Pro-Choice California to expose CPCs will result in more local regulation on their deceptive practices. After a similar investigative report conducted by NARAL Pro-Choice  Maryland last year, Baltimore passed a law requiring CPCs to advertise in both Spanish and English that they do not provide or make referrals for abortion services or birth control.

And Congress can do get involved to protect women as well. There's a bill that would stop CPCs from using deceptive advertising that misleads women. Ask your lawmakers to support this bill, because women deserve the truth.