Not 'Fake Clinics': Pregnancy Centers Debunk Major Misconceptions About Their Work

RICHMOND, Va. — They've been called "fake clinics" and are often smeared by abortion activists who argue that pregnancy centers deceive women and don't offer any real medical assistance.

Some activists even try to go undercover to try to prove that pregnancy centers are fake women's health centers.

"We get many calls from fake clients asking questions hoping to find fault," Debi Harvey, executive director for the Open Arms Pregnancy Clinic located in Northridge, California, told The Christian Post. "We get fake clients coming in under the guise of wanting a pregnancy test, but in reality, they're just trying to find something they can accuse us of."

Sometimes called "crisis pregnancy centers," there are approximately 2,750 centers in the U.S. that seek to provide medical resources and assistance for pregnant women that do not include abortion.

Their opposition to abortion has led them to be the subject of attacks from media personalities, pro-choice groups, and even some state governments.

In April, comedian John Oliver used his HBO program "Last Week Tonight" to attack pregnancy centers, claiming they gave medically inaccurate information.

Oliver suggested they ought to appreciate contraceptives and be "filling Pez dispensers with birth control pills, giving condoms to trick or treaters, and IUD earrings as hostess gifts."

He then opened up a fake crisis pregnancy center in New York that was set up in a van driven by "Wanda Jo Oliver," portrayed by Rachael Dratch, who dispensed "alternate facts" about abortion.

In 2015, California passed Assembly Bill 775, also called the Reproductive Freedom, Accountability, Comprehensive Care, and Transparency (FACT) Act, which compelled pro-life pregnancy centers to promote abortion. This included mandating, under penalty of fines, that all licensed pregnancy health centers, among other things, include a sign that refers patients to abortion clinics.

"The notice shall state: 'California has public programs that provide immediate free or low-cost access to comprehensive family planning services (including all FDA-approved methods of contraception), prenatal care, and abortion for eligible women,'" read AB 775 in part.

Read more about Not 'Fake Clinics': Pregnancy Centers Debunk Major Misconceptions About Their Work at The Christian Post.