Bill targets pregnancy centers

Report: All information may not be medically accurate

By SHANTEE WOODARDS, Staff Writer

Published 02/25/08

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...

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Money and Babies - 2008-03-03 20:09:32

Of course the Democrats don't want to regulate the abortion clinics that tell women that their three month old baby is just a mass of cells similar to a blood clot. Planned Parenthood is in the baby killing business to make money. If a girl walks out of their door after deciding to have her baby they lose money. For the free clinics to have that girl walk out the door deciding to have her baby they get nothing but the satisfaction of knowing that another baby is not going to be murdered.

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David Kyle - Pasadena, MD - Karma: Bad

clinics - 2008-03-03 16:17:53

The PROBLEM is EDUCATION!!!!!!!!! I have been a RN for 15 yrs. These centers ARE NOT educating there employees. I would not want these employees working with me or for me.

WHY are politicians wasting time and money on this bill. They should be working on making MD a better place to live and work. Lets help people that are losing their houses right now, ect...

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Lisa J. - arnold, MD - Karma: Bad

Pregnancy Center Story - 2008-03-03 00:04:45

As a person who has worked as a trained counselor at a pregnancy clinic, I was extremely disappointed to read this factually incorrect article by Shantee Woodards in The Capitol. The mission of pregnancy clinics is to serve the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of all women who are facing an unexpected pregnancy. Unlike the article insinuates, centers do provide factually correct information about all their pregnancy options and to assure this, they have certified medical staff on hand to assist clients with any questions they may have about their pregnancies. Pregnancy centers provide many services for pregnant women, including personal counseling on all their pregnancy options (parenting, abortion, and adoption), brochures, pregnancy testing, ultrasounds for pregnancy viability, STD testing, pregnancy/parenting classes, assistance in applying for state insurance and material aid (clothing, formula, and diapers) as needed. And contrary to the article?s quotation of a NARAL representative, pregnancy centers do all this for free, relying totally on donations from private individuals and organizations to support them, not Maryland state funds. This bill scheduled for the Maryland General Assembly will only serve to hurt women in the end by depriving women of being informed about all their options when finding themselves in an unexpected pregnancy situation. If NARAL Pro-choice Maryland really had women?s best interests at heart as they claim and support women in crisis pregnancies, they would support all help for pregnant women in need, not just that which suits their pro-abortion goals. That said, if the state is really concerned that pregnancy centers may be ?misleading? women and providing ?factually incorrect information,? then they should lead their own investigation to determine what these centers really do, and not rely on the biased report of an organization that has abortion as their main focus.

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Melissa Solares - Bowie, MD - Karma: Bad

Crisis Pregnancy Center - 2008-03-01 09:56:44

If anyone thinks for a moment that those who don't provide complete and accurate information for their "patients" have anything other than a political motive as their first priority, then, they should think again. Thank you Maryland for seeing through the politics of those that would rather further their own goals, than care for the medical needs of those that seek their help.

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B. Shepard - Severna Park, MD - Karma: Bad

Pregnancy Story - 2008-02-28 16:27:27

1st: The Bowie Crofton and Severna Park Pregnancy Clinic does not accept State or Federal funding. Instead, it is funded by generous private contributions.

2nd: The Bowie, Crofton, and Severna Park Pregnancy Clinic provides compassionate service, care, and ministry for patients. Individuals are not being forced to utilize the services provided at crisis pregnancy centers. Instead, they come willingly.

3rd: The Capital reports that the NARAL is ?by no means saying that people opposed to abortion shouldn't offer centers to women?. Yea Right??

If this was true, then why did the NARAL ?claim? to visit The Bowie Crofton and Severna Park Pregnancy Clinic. The NARAL is attacking privately operated, Christian based crisis pregnancy centers.

This NARAL?s investigation is a direct attack against the welfare and wellbeing of low-income woman involved in an unplanned pregnancy. They state that Crisis Pregnancy Centers target young, poor, and minority woman who cannot afford the medical services offered in the private sector. God Bless the Crisis Pregnancy Centers. Crisis Pregnancy Centers are providing a free service to the poor, and allowing the person to not be forced into having an abortion.

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Dana S. - Bowie, MD - Karma: Bad

Pregnancy Center story Hearsay - 2008-02-26 11:36:00

As Executive Director of the Bowie Crofton and Severna Park Pregnancy Clinic I am extremely disappointed in this story based on hearsay. I am very accessible and was never contacted by any reporter, including Shantee Woodwards, from the Capital regarding these false accusations. As a medical clinic with licensed Ob/Gyn, Physician Assistant and RN's, we give complete and accurate information and treat our patients with care and compassion. We do not accept any funding from the State of Maryland or the Federal Government, nor do we charge for any of our services which are free to anyone in need. We believe all women are entitled to complete information on all their choices and in fact offer women considering abortion a 3d Ultrasound to determine pregnancy viability. We are a non profit 501 c 3 registered Charity in Maryland, members of local Chamber of Commerce, Maryland Nonprofits, Human Services Coalition of PG Cty, and work with PG and AA Cty Dept of Health in offering free STD/HIV testing. Our LifeSense Educational program partners with Johns Hopkins Priority Partners in offering 15 different free classes to men and women to build healthy relationships and families. Each year we serve over 1,000 people in need, over 20,000 since opening. This Bill will hurt women, and this poorly researched story does a disservice to the people of Annapolis and all the readers of the Capital. I can be reached at the Severna Park Pregnancy Clinic office at 410.431.5000 and the Bowie Crofton Pregnancy Clinic office at 301.262.1330 and would be glad to speak regarding our services anytime.

Thank You, Pamela Palumbo, Executive Director

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Pamela Palumbo - Severna Park - Karma: Bad