Recent news that Planned Parenthood of New York City is discontinuing abortions after 20 weeks due to "financial difficulties" has raised eyebrows and questions. After all, this is an organization that receives over half-a-billion dollars in federal funding annually and consistently reports multimillion-dollar profits, all while maintaining its not-for-profit status. This brings up a critical question: how can such a well-funded entity suddenly find itself unable to provide the very services it claims are essential for women’s health?
In its pursuit of profit, Planned Parenthood has expanded its services to include hormone therapy for gender transitions and has become the largest distributor of such treatments in the country. Yet, even as they offer progesterone to biological men, they steadfastly refuse to offer that same female hormone for abortion pill reversal—a safe, effective, and potentially life-saving option for women who have changed their minds about ending their pregnancies. This is the same organization that claims to advocate for women's health and choice, yet they consistently ignore a treatment option that could save countless lives. Is the real priority maximizing profits rather than genuinely supporting women?
And while Planned Parenthood steps back from providing late-term surgical abortions—which we can applaud for the safety of all those involved—it’s important to recognize the ongoing shift in focus to chemical abortions. These are not only less costly and carry less liability for the nation’s largest abortion provider, but also have the potential for a much higher profit margin. The move to online delivery of abortion pills ensures a steady revenue stream, without the overhead costs associated with well-regulated surgical procedures. Indeed, difficulties arising from surgical complications burden Planned Parenthood with accountability for women’s continuing health and safety. By pushing chemical abortions, Planned Parenthood can continue to profit handsomely while reducing their exposure to legal and medical risks. Instead, they can push those medical risks to the woman, who is left to administer her own abortion, often with little access to the provider who furnished the abortion in the first place.
Consider the irony: an organization that rakes in hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars and bills women for its services can, allegedly, no longer afford sedation for late-term abortions. It would be laughable if it wasn’t so tragic. While Planned Parenthood bemoans its millions of dollars of profit from charging vulnerable women (not to mention the funds strong-armed by the US taxpayer), thousands of pregnancy centers across the country and around the globe offer free, compassionate care to women and families every single day, all supported by individuals who freely and generously give to the centers.
These centers are the unsung heroes in helping women to say yes to their pregnancy, providing everything from prenatal care and parenting classes to material assistance and emotional support. Unlike Planned Parenthood, which seems more interested in lining its pockets than helping women, these centers operate out of a genuine desire to serve. They receive little to no government funding, yet they continue to thrive, relying on the generosity of local, grassroots donors who believe in the value of every human life.
Planned Parenthood's recent announcement only further highlights the hypocrisy at the core of their operations. While they claim to be champions of women's health, their actions tell a different story—one where profit takes precedence over people, and women are left to pay the price.
In contrast, pregnancy centers are a beacon of hope in a culture that too easily exalts convenience over compassion. They stand as a testament to the power of love and the belief that every life is worth fighting for. These centers don't charge for their services; they don’t profit from women's pain. Instead, they offer a lifeline to those in need, demonstrating that real care isn't about the bottom line—it's about the heart.
In a world where Planned Parenthood continues to prioritize profit over people, it’s time to shine a light on the pregnancy centers that are doing the real work of caring for women and families. They are the ones providing true choice — ensuring every pregnant woman has the support and love she deserves, without ever profiting from her decision.