Texas is home to more than 100 state-funded crisis pregnancy centers

While a new law threatens to shutter all but six abortion providers, anti-choice counseling centers proliferate

Published September 5, 2013 8:34PM (EDT)

  (Associated Press)
(Associated Press)

It's no secret that the outlook is quite dire for reproductive rights in Texas right now. The provision of the state's omnibus antiabortion bill requiring that abortion providers secure hospital admitting privileges takes effect in November, and, if the law still stands in a year's time, clinics across the state will be required to meet the standards of ambulatory surgical centers beginning in September 2014. The combined effect of both provisions is expected to shutter all but six abortion providers in the state, according to reproductive rights groups.

As the November deadline approaches, and with an eye toward dwindling numbers of comprehensive reproductive health clinics, the Texas-based reproductive healthcare group Whole Woman’s Health began mapping the locations of Texas’ crisis pregnancy centers. The results were startling. While the number of comprehensive reproductive health providers in Texas continues to shrink, there are currently 108 of these state-funded anti-choice counseling center across the state.

The disproportionate representation of crisis pregnancy centers across Texas could have troubling consequences for women seeking healthcare, as Andrea Grimes at RH Reality Check notes: "With so many crisis pregnancy centers and so few licensed abortion providers, future abortion-seeking Texans could easily be misled by religious-driven centers offering pregnancy tests and counseling, but no scientifically sound medical advice or services."

It's a problem that Whole Women's Health is already anticipating, leading it to post the following warning on its website:

If you or someone you know is seeking an abortion, always make sure and check that the clinic you are going to is an abortion facility and not a CPC. Even if you search for abortion on Google, you are likely going to see ads for "free pregnancy tests" that are coming from CPCs right next to the ads for actual licensed abortion clinics.

You can check out Whole Women's Health's map below and read more here.

 

 


By Katie McDonough

Katie McDonough is Salon's politics writer, focusing on gender, sexuality and reproductive justice. Follow her on Twitter @kmcdonovgh or email her at kmcdonough@salon.com.

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