By Alexia H, Repro Fund NH Summer Intern
ReproFund has previously written about the harm caused by Anti-Abortions Centers (AACs) and the ways in which they are funded and supported in New Hampshire. As has been previously mentioned, AACs still significantly outnumber abortion clinics in the Granite State at a 4-1 ratio; the Boston Globe reports a 3-1 ratio in Massachusetts, which is an especially pressing statistic considering the fall of Roe. At one Massachusetts AAC in particular, in October of 2022, a patient suffered life threatening consequences as a result of the faulty care provided by unqualified ‘caregivers’.
With faulty paperwork and a faulty diagnosis, the anonymous patient left her appointment for pregnancy-detecting ultrasounds under the impression that she had a safe and viable fetus in utero, which could be carried to term if she wished. However, the truth of her diagnosis was quite the opposite; the patient had an ectopic pregnancy in which the fetus was growing in her fallopian tube. Had this patient been informed upon appointment that she had an ectopic pregnancy, doctors would have moved forward with a minimally invasive procedure to effectively abort the fetus. However, one month after her appointment, the patient began to feel extreme pain in her side – an indication that the fetus had ruptured her fallopian tube. Ruptures like these cause internal bleeding, amongst other dangerous complications that come with ineffective pregnancy-abortion care.
Anti-Abortion Centers (also sometimes known as Crisis Pregnancy Centers) allocate significant funding towards being one of the first suggestions to appear on a search engine when the user types in certain key-words, such as abortion. For any pregnant person, this means that diligence and caution must be taken when researching where to go and what to do in a time where they might already have feelings of anxiety and panic. ReproFund aims to reduce the amount of patients who are pointed in the wrong direction for their reproductive care as a result of AACs effort to stop abortions.
ReproFund believes that any patient seeking prenatal care should not have to question the authority or intentions of the healthcare professional conducting their appointment. Accordingly, we provide abortion access information on our website, for pregnancy capable people to review before booking an appointment for abortion care.
The Functions of Funding and Advocacy
In a country with frequent political dissent regarding abortions, access to abortion can be a challenge for many. Beyond the difficulty of even finding an appointment can be affording it. Abortion funds around the country exist to support those who may need assistance paying for reproductive healthcare. Beyond that, many abortion funds also assist patients with transportation costs and by providing emotional support. Organizations like ours rely on donations from those who are passionate about helping others and funding repro-care for pregnancy capable people in need.
On the other hand, in the world of Anti-Abortion Centers and Crisis Pregnancy Centers, funding and availability appear to be sourced very easily by those who want to prevent the facilitation of reproductive care. This is why users must be wary of AACs who make themselves appear as actual abortion clinics; they are typically the first links to appear in an online search and often seem too good to be true. This is yet another reason why organizations seek to raise funds to support reproductive care and abortion care: it can be costly to counteract the deception created by anti-abortion groups.
Due to the loss of federally protected abortion care, there has been a recent and significant reduction in medical training for abortion care as well in states where abortion is now illegal. In states like Tennessee, performing or receiving abortions within the state can lead to the participant being charged with a Class C felony. This has led to pregnancy capable people fleeing to other states solely to receive abortion care; a difficult solution to an unimaginable problem. In response, the Attorney General in Tennessee is fighting for access to its residents’ medical records – even as they transcend state lines.
Advocacy can play an integral role in keeping pregnancy capable people safe and in the care of certified medical professionals. The NH State Government has the power to defund and ban AACs, potentially saving lives in the process. When researching your own reproductive care needs, be diligent in your search and check with reputable sources before making your appointment. To spread the word about the harms caused by AACs, share this article with family and friends, or on social media! To advocate against AACs, be sure to vote in local elections and speak up against the NH Executive Council blocking reproductive health facilities’ funding!