ACOG Attacks CPCs: Here’s our Response

In our country, abortion is backed by doctors, by decades of normalcy, and even by the government. We instinctively trust people with medical degrees, people who, historically, care about your health and safety. Such authorities couldn’t possibly be wrong, could they?

The ACOG (American college of obstetricians and gynecologists) recently issued a formal attack against crisis pregnancy centers, making all kinds of claims. For example, in this document, they claim that we “emotionally manipulate and shame pregnant people” and that we “misrepresent nonmedical staff as clinicians by having them wear lab coats.”

In other words, we are charlatans playing dress-up to shame and manipulate pregnant women.

At Choices, we are all about giving you the facts. It’s worthwhile, therefore, to address serious and thoughtful objections when they are raised and welcome open discussions.

What objections does ACOG raise, and are they valid? Listed below are quotes taken directly from their documentation. We think we deserve the opportunity to respond.

ACOGs Claims Against Crisis Pregnancy Centers:

EMOTIONAL MANIPULATION

AGOC: CPCs “use false and misleading information, emotional manipulation, and delays to divert pregnant people from accessing comprehensive and timely care…”

According to ACOG, the “emotional manipulation” coming from crisis pregnancy centers is done in a couple of different ways. One method is “using disturbing visuals or performing ultrasounds to emotionally manipulate and shame pregnant people under the guise of informing or diagnosing them.”

In other words, we offer ultrasounds. The “disturbing visuals” include images of unborn babies. If images of babies in the womb are so “disturbing,” we might ask why they are interested in obstetrics.

But that’s not the main problem. Yes, we think that women should clearly understand the facts of what happens in an abortion. If ACOG finds the facts disturbing, maybe they should rethink abortion itself.

And while we’re on the topic, no, abortion clinics do not offer ultrasounds. Which seems strange. If abortion really were just another medical procedure, such as pulling a tooth, all this secrecy about what happens in an abortion procedure would be unnecessary, questionable actually.

Do we attempt to dissuade women from abortion? In some sense, yes, that is a fair point. However, we never pressure or emotionally manipulate pregnant women to do what they do not want to do.

ACOG’s assertion that we pressure and manipulate women is simply an unbacked claim. Their sources, found here, are empty, unproven statements. To pass off bogus claims as well-documented and medically valid is base and cheap. A “he said, she said,” schoolyard taunt.

Additionally, it’s worth mentioning that abortion clinics such as Planned Parenthood push abortion and only abortion on pregnant women. So, the same charges might be leveled back at them.

ASSERTING FALSE RISKS

ACOG: CPSs are“Asserting false risks of abortion, such as stating that there are links between abortion and breast cancer, infertility, mental illness, and preterm birth.”

These claims might seem legit as they come from medically trained doctors. There are countless doctors on the other side of this debate, however.

But let’s start with Planned Parenthood itself. If infertility caused by abortion were not a risk, then why does Planned Parenthood list “sterility” as a “risk that may occur with surgical abortion” on the consent form which women must sign prior to getting an abortion?

The truth is there are many medically verifiable health risks resulting from abortion. There is a direct correlation between abortion and infertility, ectopic pregnancies, and a higher rate of suicide.

ACOG claims that abortion pill reversals (Which we offer!) “do not meet clinical standards for safety or efficacy.” But if safety is so important, why do they remain strangely silent regarding the overwhelming evidence of health risks resulting from medical abortions? Once again, the same accusations could be leveled back at them.

UNETHICAL

ACOG: CPCs are “Run by people who operate unethically and with the intention to dissuade, deter, or prevent them from seeking certain reproductive health care options.”

That’s a pretty loaded accusation. Seems like they should back that claim with some hefty citations, but do they? What sources do they cite? They only cite other pro-abortionists who are making the same claims as them. Again, feel free to scroll down and click on their sources—we have nothing to hide.

At Choices, our Pregnancy Centers are staffed by caring and supportive professionals. Ironically, our medical director is certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Our Director of Medical Services is a Registered Nurse with over 30 years of experience in Nursing.

ACOG has not created a well-researched paper. Most of it is nothing more than groundless taunts coming from people all dressed up in lab coats.

How does this happen? How can people with credentials and education be so dishonest? Because this is human nature. It’s happened before. The first thing the Nazis did long before they started killing adults was to kill babies through abortion and infanticide–and this push was led by medical professionals. In fact, that is what laid the groundwork for all that was to come. And they were even wearing lab coats.