Planned Parenthood’s 2019 Annual Report: Services Went Down, Abortions Went Up
By Natasha Smith
The nation’s number one abortion provider, Planned Parenthood, released its 2018-2019 Annual Report, showing abortion services are on the rise, while other services, like cancer screenings and prenatal care, went down.
Here are 10 things we learned.
Abortion services are on the rise
Planned Parenthood’s abortion services increased in 2018. According to the report, they performed 345,672 abortions — that’s 12,915 more abortions than last year’s report. Based on the Centers for Disease Control statistics, Planned Parenthood accounts for one-third to one-half of all abortions in America.
Cancer screenings services plummeted
According to the D.C.-based think tank, The Heritage Foundation, Planned Parenthood’s yearly cancer care dropped by more than half from 2006-2019. In 2006, they report 2,007,371 cancer screening and prevention clients. The latest 2018 report shows just over half a million cancer screenings. That’s over 1.4 million less cancer clients than their average from 2005-2006.
Prenatal care has dropped by nearly 90 percent since 2004
On their website, Planned Parenthood says some of its clinics provide low-cost prenatal care. In 2004 these clinics served 17,610 clients. A few years ago, they changed the language from “pre-natal clients” to “prenatal services.” This terminology masks the dramatic decrease in pregnancy care provided. In fact, American’s United for Life found that by changing these terms Planned Parenthood can count multiple services given to a single client, thus making their prenatal care look larger than it actually is. But even with duplicate services going to a single client, Planned Parenthood only gave out 9,789 prenatal services last year.
A report from The Heritage Foundation notes, “[Their] 9,798 prenatal services included roughly 1,700 prenatal clients—a nearly 50 percent decline from Americans United for Life’s 2013 estimate and a shocking 90 percent decline from their 2004 calculation.”
The government funds the majority of Planned Parenthood’s services
Governmental health service reimbursements and grants accounted for most of Planned Parenthood’s 2019 revenue. The organization received $616.8 million in taxpayer funding. Government funding has more than doubled since 2006 according to a Heritage Foundation analysis.
The organization also receives tax-deductible donations while still charging clients for services.
Planned Parenthood affiliates improperly applied for COVID relief funding
Thirty-seven Planned Parenthood affiliates received a total of $80 million from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a federal relief program set up for small businesses in need of help during COVID shutdowns. The PPP is only meant for small businesses with less than 500 employees.
Planned Parenthood celebrated the continued operation of a clinic known to violate health and safety codes
Last year, state officials refused to renew a St. Louis Planned Parenthood clinic’s license. There were multiple concerns over failed abortions, as well as reports of the illegal sale of fetal tissue. In fact, this same clinic is responsible for the injuries of 75 clients over the last 10 years.
A Missouri Senate report notes that “high ranking Planned Parenthood executives specifically targeted St. Louis as a prime location for the expansion of fetal tissue sales”
The report also raises questions regarding medical malpractice, legal compliance, licensing, and incomplete pathology reports.
They sued the health department over the refusal and ultimately won — keeping the clinic in business.
Their annual report said, “In Missouri, Planned Parenthood used every tool in the toolbox to stop the state from shutting down access to safe and legal abortion at Reproductive Health Services of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region, the last health center in the state to provide abortion.”
Claiming to be pro-choice, Planned Parenthood supports restricting medical practitioners’ choice to refuse to perform an abortion
Planned Parenthood opposed the “Refusal Rule” and fought to end it. In May of 2019 The Department of Health and Human Services issued a new “refusal rule” that would have given health care workers the choice to opt-out of procedures like abortion or assisted suicide for religious or conscientious objections.
But in November 2019, a federal judge with the U.S. District Court for the Sothern District of New York struck down the rule. Something that the abortion providers applauded.
Planned Parenthood works with TV writers, filmmakers and musical artists connect to promote abortion
Planned Parenthood is intentional about normalizing abortion. In 2019 they collaborated with actors and networks to promote their work. For the film Little Woods, Planned Parenthood Federation of America and their Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota affiliates collaborated on the script. They also worked with the cast of Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale to create a series of PSA’s to promote abortion.
What About Pregnancy Resource Centers?
According to the Charlotte Lozier Institute, pregnancy centers provided almost 2,000,000 people with free services in 2017. That’s an estimated community cost savings of at least $161 million annually.
Many of the 2,752 PRCs across America also offer STI/STD screening and sometimes treatment. They also offer free ultrasounds and prenatal care. Women can participate in parenting classes and receive baby supplies for up to two years after pregnancy.
Planned Parenthood claims to “Care. No matter what.” But pregnancy resource centers (PRCs) truly do embody that phrase by providing care at no cost. Their goal is simply to love and support a woman through a difficult season of life. Empowering her to thrive as a woman and a mother.
