Many of us anticipated the fallout from cutting funding to essential health services. It’s fairly straightforward: when vital programs that educate and provide healthcare to millions of Americans are stripped away, the outcomes are rarely positive. Yet, in the name of various ideologies—whether it be religious beliefs, fiscal conservatism, or the vague notion of “saving lives”—the ongoing effort to defund organizations like Planned Parenthood has led to the closure of numerous health centers nationwide.
Despite the relentless attacks from staunch anti-abortion advocates, these centers provide critical services each year, including:
- Birth control for nearly two million individuals
- Over 4.2 million STD tests and treatments
- More than 320,000 breast exams
- Nearly 295,000 Pap tests
It’s a bit ironic, isn’t it? After all, birth control helps prevent unplanned pregnancies, while STD tests and treatments address potentially life-threatening conditions. Furthermore, breast exams and Pap tests are essential for detecting cancer early, which can save lives.
Now, here we are in 2020, still engaged in a debate with persistent anti-abortion activists who overlook the fact that Planned Parenthood offers far more than just abortion services. Many of the clinics that have been forced to shut down did not even perform abortions. Instead, they focused on reducing the number of unplanned pregnancies and abortions by providing education, protection, and birth control.
A harsh reality remains: abortions have existed throughout history and will continue regardless of funding cuts. However, defunding Planned Parenthood will only make these procedures less safe. In fact, statistics indicate that eliminating such programs increases teen pregnancy rates. When faced with an unplanned pregnancy, what do you think many teens will resort to? The cycle continues.
Take Texas as a case in point. Before 2011, the state’s teen birth rate had experienced a remarkable decline of 44% between 1988 and 2011. However, after then-Governor Rick Perry slashed the family planning budget by 67%—from $111 million to $37.9 million—resulting in the closure of 82 clinics that did not perform abortions, the teen birth rate began to rise again.
In a state already struggling with abstinence-only education and limited sexual health resources, closing Planned Parenthood clinics is yet another barrier for young women seeking care. It reflects a broader refusal to acknowledge that young people are sexually active and need access to education, protection, and healthcare.
Moreover, after Texas halted funding for Planned Parenthood, pregnancy-related deaths doubled. How does that align with being “pro-life”?
On a more hopeful note, let’s look at Colorado. With a generous $23 million grant from the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation over six years, the state provided free or low-cost contraception to low-income women. The results were striking: the teen birth rate dropped by 40% from 2009 to 2013, and the teen abortion rate decreased by 42%. This is just one example of how providing contraception empowers women to make informed choices about their futures.
However, the issue at hand goes beyond just abortion debates. Planned Parenthood often serves as the sole healthcare option for women across many communities. In over 20% of the counties where Planned Parenthood operates, no other providers exist to fill the gap left by their closure. A staggering four in ten women who visit family planning centers rely on them as their only source of medical care, as noted in a USA Today article.
How can we claim to be “making America great” while simultaneously defunding clinics and jeopardizing the health and safety of countless women? The idea that other healthcare providers can simply absorb Planned Parenthood’s patients is misleading. According to I Stand With Planned Parenthood, there is a shortage of ob-gyn care providers who accept Medicaid. Additionally, Planned Parenthood health centers are more likely to offer a comprehensive range of birth control options and rapid-result HIV testing than other providers.
It’s vital to recognize that the closure of these clinics can have dire consequences. For instance, one of the five health centers shut down in Indiana was located in rural Scott County, which was grappling with an alarming HIV outbreak. The absence of this clinic, which provided crucial HIV testing and referrals, will result in significant long-term costs for the state.
Ultimately, the systematic dismantling of services like those offered by Planned Parenthood harms the public. According to the Guttmacher Institute, publicly funded family planning services prevented two million unintended pregnancies and 693,000 abortions in 2013 alone. If we continue to cut funding and resources, these numbers will only worsen.
So, what does it truly mean to be “pro-life”? It’s a question worth pondering.
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Summary
The funding cuts to organizations like Planned Parenthood have led to increased rates of unintended pregnancies and health risks for women. Despite the ideological reasons for these cuts, the reality is that they limit access to essential health services. States like Texas have seen detrimental effects, while places like Colorado demonstrate the benefits of providing accessible contraception. Overall, the ongoing attacks on these services are harming public health rather than helping it.