Getting to Know Planned Parenthood - Pro-Life Action League

If you’re visiting this page, you probably received a flyer entitled, “Getting to Know Planned Parenthood.” This flyer was published by the Pro-Life Action League to educate the public about Planned Parenthood, especially their major role in abortion.

Below, you will find citations for the claims made about Planned Parenthood in each section of the flyer, followed by suggestions for taking action.

You can order copies of “Getting to Know Planned Parenthood” at the Pro-Life Action Store.

Planned Parenthood and Health Care

Planned Parenthood serves less than 1% of the U.S. population each year. According to their 2018-2019 Annual Report, Planned Parenthood served 2.4 million clients, which is only 0.7% of the total U.S. population of 328.2 million reported by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Prenatal care amounts to less than 0.1% of total Planned Parenthood annual services. Their 2018-2019 Annual Report lists 9,798 prenatal services out of 9,821,548 total services, or 0.099%.
Planned Parenthood provides less than 2% of annual manual breast exams. The total in their 2018-2019 Annual Report of 265,028 is 1.33% of the 20 million manual breast exams estimated to be performed each year by the Mammacare Foundation, a breast health advocacy group.
Planned Parenthood provides 1% of annual pap tests. The total in their 2018-2019 Annual Report of 255,682 amounts to 1.13% of the 22.6 million pap tests performed each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Planned Parenthood does not provide mammograms. In 2015, Planned Parenthood CEO Cecile Richards testified before Congress that the organization does not have any mammogram machines, as reported by the Washington Post.
Planned Parenthood diagnoses less than 1% of new STD cases. Out of 26 million newly acquired STDs estimated each year by the Centers for Disease Control, Planned Parenthood diagnoses 240,384, according to their 2018-2019 Annual Report.
Planned Parenthood does not provide treatment for diabetes, back pain, colds and flus, bodily injury, or mental health issues; they offer no pediatric care. None of these services is listed in their 2018-2019 Annual Report.
Planned Parenthood instructs parents not to bring children with them. This directive is given to clients when booking appointments online (Screenshot 1, Screenshot 2, Screenshot 3).
Four out of five women will never visit a Planned Parenthood facility in their lives. On their website, they claim that “One in five American women has chosen Planned Parenthood for health care at least once in her life”; even if true, that means four out of five do not ever visit one of their facilities.

Planned Parenthood and the Law

Planned Parenthood has submitted fraudulent Medicaid claims. A 2017 survey of state audits of Planned Parenthood affiliates by the Charlotte Lozier Institute found $8.5 million in overpayments due to unlawful billing practices.
Planned Parenthood has deceived government officials and defied state and federal law. They have hidden their identity from municipal officials, illegally disposed of fetal remains, performed illegal late term abortions, violated safety regulations, and more.
Planned Parenthood has lied about what services they provide. For example, in a 2011 interview, CEO Cecile Richards claimed they do mammograms, but in 2015 admitted to Congress that they do not. Their claims to provide extensive prenatal care were debunked by a 2017 investigation by the group Live Action.
Planned Parenthood has harvested and sold fetal tissue. In 2015, the Center for Medical Progress released a series of undercover videos showing Planned Parenthood’s involvement in the harvesting and sale of fetal remains, including deceiving clients about the practice.
Planned Parenthood has shielded child predators. A report by Alliance Defending Freedom, documented Planned Parenthood’s failure to comply with mandatory reporting laws in a dozen cases in six states, allowing abusers to continue molesting their victims.
Planned Parenthood receives over half a billion dollars from taxpayers every year. Their 2018-2019 Annual Report lists $616,800,000 in “Government Health Services Reimbursements & Grants.”

Planned Parenthood and Abortion

Planned Parenthood is the nation’s single largest abortion provider. In 2017, Jennifer Thibodeau of the Abortion Care Network told Politifact.com, “There is no other national organization that operate on the scale they do,” speaking of Planned Parenthood’s role in abortion.
Planned Parenthood performs over 340,000 abortions every year. Their 2018-2019 Annual Report specifies that 345,672 abortion procedures were performed.
Planned Parenthood controls 40% of the national abortion market. According to the Guttmacher Institute, approximately 862,320 abortions were performed in 2017 (the most recent year they’ve surveyed). Using that as a base figure, Planned Parenthood’s 345,672 abortions comprise 40.09% of the national total.
Planned Parenthood’s abortion numbers keep going up, even as the national abortion rate declines. According to the Guttmacher Institute, total U.S. abortions dropped 7% from 2014 to 2017, from 926,190 to 862,320, while Planned Parenthood’s share of all abortions rose during the same period from 34.98% to 38.59% (see 2015 and 2018 annual reports).
Planned Parenthood aggressively markets abortion to their clients. Former Planned Parenthood staffers have testified that they set quotas for each facility and reward staff who meet them.
Abortion accounts for more than half of Planned Parenthood clinic income, over $200 million annually. A survey by Operation Rescue found an average price for abortion in 2018 of $598. Multiplying this average by Planned Parenthood’s most recent annual abortion tally of 345,672 yields a figure of $206,711,856, or 56% of clinic income listed in the same report.
One out of seven women visiting Planned Parenthood each year will get an abortion there.
In 2018, Planned Parenthood saw 2.4 million clients, upon whom they performed 345,672 abortions; this comes to an abortion for every 7 clients (a ratio that would be even higher if male clients could be factored out).
Planned Parenthood opposes limits on abortion that most Americans support. They oppose measures like parental involvement laws, limits on taxpayer funding of abortion, and even restrictions on late term abortion—which puts them out of step with most Americans.

Take Action against Planned Parenthood

That’s Planned Parenthood. They’re the nation’s largest abortion provider. Their role in health care is minimal. They break the law.

Now what can you do about it? Here are some practical suggestions:

Pass out copies of “Getting to Know Planned Parenthood.” Purchase copies from the Pro-Life Action Store, and follow these instructions on leafleting.
Protest Planned Parenthood fundraisers and other events. Check out the Pro-Life Action League’s how-to page.
Bring your pro-life witness to Planned Parenthood. You can save a life through prayer and sidewalk counseling at a facility near you.
Read our extensive Planned Parenthood Q & A page. Learn more about this organization, including its dubious origins and recent attempts to change its public image.
Follow the Pro-Life Action League for the latest news and action alerts. Find us on Facebook and Twitter, sign up for emails (see below), and visit our companion site #ProtestPP for news on nationwide protest opportunities.