The Greensboro Pregnancy Care Center is a farce

The Greensboro Pregnancy Care Center is a lie. It and its entire purpose are to deceive women about their reproductive options. The Greensboro Pregnancy Care Center is part of a greater network of crisis pregnancy/pregnancy counseling/pregnancy care centers (CPCs) nationwide that are entirely a farce. They lie to women about their rights and feed them misinformation about their health risks. They are not medical clinics and are not staffed by medical personnel. CPCs are part of a radical branch of the anti-choice movement whose sole purpose is to limit the choices women have. They often are opposed to single mothers, contraception, and above all else, are always opposed to abortion. They do not care about your rights as a woman or as a human being.

Most people do not even realize the sham that is happening to them. These places and the people who run them specifically prey on vulnerable women, often situating themselves around college campuses and in low-income areas. I would not be surprised if a number of you reading have been to a CPC or thought about it. They purposely cultivate a trusting and friendly environment so the women won't even know they're being deceived.

But there are ways to spot them. Beware name like CareNet, Open Arms, Birthright, and ABC Centers, along with names involving crisis or care. Warning signs include: Advertising free pregnancy tests and sonograms.

Listing themselves as abortion alternatives, Inflammatory pamphlets and videos about abortion and pictures of aborted fetuses, Vague language when discussing test results and options including birth control, Making women feel guilty about being pregnant.

Are located in homes, apartments, or are mobile (trailer or RV),

All real clinics offer abortion alternatives. Real clinics are about discussing all of your options for what you may need. If they attempt to demonize abortion or glorify adoption, they are a CPC. It does not matter to them what option you may or may not be considering. Real clinics do not show you fake horror films about abortion. CPCs often lie about the effectiveness of contraceptives like the Pill and condoms. They say that regular birth control pills and Emergency Contraceptives (aka Plan B) will cause abortions. The Pill and EC only prevent a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterine wall, if implantation has occurred they are useless. Contraception is preventive. Only the abortion pill causes abortions. This is a common lie used by the anti-contraception movement. They "counsel" that abstinence is the only way to effectively prevent unwanted pregnancy.

Real clinics are required by law to be located in commercial zones; while CPCs which are non-profits, can be in residential zones. They often oppose unwed mothers and try to convince women that their children will suffer unless they are put up for adoption.

It has been documented that the Greensboro Pregnancy Care Center has told women that abortion causes breast cancer. This is a known and complete lie. A link between Breast Cancer and Abortion does not exist. It is an outrage to women that an organization like this exists in our community.

It is one thing to call your self "Pro-Life" and to disagree with abortion. It is an entirely different thing to lie to women about their reproductive choices and put them and their potential children at risk. No one should be okay with this kind of deception. It is discrediting to women to assume we take these options lightly. As a member of the pro-choice movement, I want all women everywhere to have the option to have an abortion. We should have the information for all three options; abortion, adoption, and becoming a parent. Delay tactics and deceit only put women at risk.

No woman should be lied to about her reproductive rights. That is why spreading the word about the dangers of CPCs is so important. If you want more information about CPC in general or proper pregnancy options information: www.cpcwatch.org or www.yourbackline.org. One real clinic in our area is the Greensboro Planned Parenthood at 1704 Battleground Ave.