A feminist group in California claims some pregnancy clinics lure women with advertisements about performing abortions, but promote adoption and motherhood instead.
Holly Tomlinson of the Feminist Majority Foundation said women's clinics like the Women's Hope Medical Clinic in Auburn are fake pregnancy clinics.
Meaning, they are clinics which pose as comprehensive sexual health pregnancy clinics, which advertise options such as abortion, but when women arrive they try to talk them out of having an abortion.
The Feminist Majority Foundation has not investigated Women's Hope, Tomlinson said, so Tomlinson won't say what Women's Hope does or doesn't do.
"The reason why these clinics would be against abortion is because they're generally affiliated with a religious organization," Tomlinson said. "They want to reduce abortions."
Bethany Garth, publicity and events coordinator for Women's Hope Medical Clinic, said Women's Hope is a Christian, faith-based clinic.
However, they provide services completely free of discrimination, and they do not base service on any person's religion, race or creed.
"The organization's goal is to be a resource and help women if they're scared," Garth said. "If a client comes in, we don't just run tests, but consult with that client, offering emotional support and researching their history in order to provide medically accurate information to see how they can better educate our clients on their options."
Tomlinson said, whether a woman needs an abortion, the real issue is women go to what Tomlinson calls "fake" clinics with the assumption they will be given every option in an unbiased way.
"We're not saying that women should choose abortion by no means," Tomlinson said. "We're saying when they go to these clinics, they should know whether the clinic would be offering unbiased information, or if they already have a particular plan already in mind."
Tomlinson also said another problem associated with "fake" pregnancy clinics is they claim abortions can cause breast cancer.
Julie Klarenbeek, nurse manager for Women's Hope, said she knows some feminist groups say abortion alternative clinics use scare tactics, which she says is not true. Klarenbeek said they want to provide medically accurate information that will help their clients.
"When a woman becomes pregnant, the milk producing hormones go into action and expect the mom to breast feed," Klarenbeek said. "So with a spontaneous abortion, a miscarriage, there is a slowing production of milk. When you have a planned abortion, it abruptly stops the process. So those cells that were supposed to be milk-producing cells and don't have a place to go and can become pre-cancer cells."
Garth said she understands why Tomlinson is making those claims, but they are not true of her center.
"I've watched clients come in with a face of sadness and depression and hopelessness and leave with a little more hope," Garth said. "I love working here because I know that what we do matters to people, and it's actually helping them move forward in their lives."
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