Report: All information may not be medically accurate
By SHANTEE WOODARDS, Staff Writer
The Capital
Published February 25, 2008
Crisis pregnancy centers would be required to tell patients their information on abortion may not be factually accurate if the General Assembly passes a new bill.
The bill targets so-called crisis pregnancy centers, which offer counseling and other services to pregnant women. But a recent investigation of about a dozen of these facilities in the state showed they could be giving false information about abortion and birth control.
Under the proposed law, the facilities would have to give clients a disclaimer their information is not medically accurate.
The bill is scheduled for a hearing in the House Health and Government Operations committee on March 14, and in the Senate Finance Committee March 5. Del. Roger P. Manno, D-Montgomery County, introduced the bill in the House of Delegates, and Del. Barbara Frush, D-Beltsville, is among its sponsors.
Similar legislation is being reviewed in New York and West Virginia.
"I believe that when you go into a medical facility that you should be given entire, accurate information," Ms. Frush said. "If you do not receive that accurate information, you should be told. That's what we expect our medical centers to do, to provide us with every aspect of an issue."
NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland Fund released a report last week about pregnancy centers in the state.
In 2007, officials visited 11 centers in Montgomery, Prince George's, Baltimore and Hartford counties and Baltimore City to compare information. The staff also visited the Bowie Crofton Pregnancy Clinic, which also has a location in Severna Park.
The facilities are funded through donations, grants, fundraising and "Choose Life" license plates. The results for the individual centers were not mentioned specifically.
At nine of the centers, the staff did not discuss birth control with the NARAL representatives, who posed as patients. The two facilities that mentioned birth control also said the pills cause infertility and cancer, according to the report. One volunteer also told a NARAL official that birth control "is next to aborting your baby."
Audrey Gottheimer visited several different centers with friends last year. She said she was disturbed that most places gave her baby booties, and most centers were decorated with photos of happy infants. At one point, she was given a 12-week model of a fetus.
"One (counselor) informed me that God closed my cervix tightly to make a safety hole for the person growing inside me," said Ms. Gottheimer. "When I walked out, I felt like abortion was the worst thing I could do and I wasn't even pregnant."
Investigators said they also visited Birthright International, which has locations in Glen Burnie and Annapolis. Officials there could not be reached for comment, but its Web site says it offers free pregnancy testing, prenatal and adoption information.
Officials at the Bowie Crofton Pregnancy Clinic also could not be reached for comment, but the Web site mentions that it is a volunteer ministry aiming to reach women and men facing an unexpected pregnancy or who are impacted by a previous abortion.
"We are by no means saying that people opposed to abortion shouldn't offer centers to women," said Ariana Kelly, NARAL executive director. "But we do think that the state should not be funding biased counseling."
