Crisis Pregnancy Centers in the State of Illinois

What is a Crisis Pregnancy Center (CPC)?

A CPC is a fake clinic that advertises to those who are unsure of what to do with their unplanned pregnancy. Their ads offer help, counseling, and, usually, free pregnancy tests. However, these “clinics” are actually not staffed by any medical professional, are extremely anti-choice, and will guilt trip the person into NOT getting an abortion. They also DO NOT provide referrals for someone seeking an abortion. They also will not provide any prenatal care or help if the person does decide to carry out their pregnancy. Some CPCs locate themselves near or directly across from a Planned Parenthood in order to lure confused patients. These centers are extremely religious.

Further Reading: The Feminist Campus’s collection of articles exposing CPCs

Feminist Campus’s “What Are Fake Clinics?”

Have you seen these popular CPC advertisements?

“Pregnant? Need Help? You Have Options!”
“Pregnant? Scared? We Can Help! Call 1-800-XXX-XXXX”
“Free Pregnancy Tests!”

They advertise on your campus and in your community with names like, “Crisis Pregnancy Centers” and “Pregnancy Resource Centers.” They pose as comprehensive women’s health clinics and advertise under “abortion” and “family planning” services. Although they are often located near comprehensive clinics, using similar sounding names, they do not offer abortion services, contraception, or referrals.

Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs) are typically run by anti-choice organizations with staff and volunteers who usually are not licensed medical professionals. They often use misinformation to intimidate women from considering abortion and provide false information about birth control and the effectiveness of condoms for the prevention of STIs and HIV. Ultimately, their tactics delay women from receiving comprehensive medical care.

Fake clinics target college students by locating near campuses and advertising “free” pregnancy tests. According to a 2008 survey by the Feminist Majority Foundation, 48% of responding Campus Health Centers include CPCs on their referral lists for students facing unintended pregnancies.

It is estimated that 3,500 CPCs exist nationwide, outnumbering comprehensive women’s health clinics 2 to 1. Most fake clinics are affiliated with one or more national anti-abortion, anti-birth control organizations.
A Congressional investigation of CPCs revealed that 87% provided false or misleading information about the health effects of abortion.[1] The Congressional report found many of these federally funded centers grossly misrepresent the medical risks of abortion by telling women that having an abortion could increase the risk of breast cancer, result in sterility and lead to suicide and “post-abortion syndrome.”[2]Abortion is not associated with an increase in breast cancer risk or infertility.[3] An eleven year longitudinal study of 13,000 women found that women who give birth have the same rate of need for psychological treatment as women who have abortions[4].
1. United States Congress House Committee on Government Reform, Special Investigations Division. False and Misleading Health Information Provided by Federally Funded Pregnancy Resource Centers. 109th Cong., 2nd Sess., 2006. Washington: GPO, 2006, p. i.
2. Ibid, p. 7 – 13.
3. Ibid, p. 7, 9.
4. Ibid, p. 11.

What can I do to help?

Educate yourself! Make sure you and your friends never step foot into these clinics. Find out if there’s a CPC in your neighborhood/campus and post up fliers! Check out the above Feminist Campus link for info on how to do so!

From my knowledge, there are SIXTY-NINE CPCs in Illinois. I’m going to list every single one. Please be aware of their existence.

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