Pro-life groups hammer 'twisted attempt' by Democratic AGs to 'hinder' pregnancy centers from helping women

Several pro-life groups defended crisis pregnancy centers after 16 Democratic Attorney Generals wrote an open letter in support of Yelp's decision to put consumer warnings on their pro-life pregnancy center listings.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta penned the letter, signed by fifteen other AGs, which said they supported Yelp in their battle against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Paxton sued the company last month for putting "misleading" warnings on crisis pregnancy center listings on their website.

The Democrats said they were concerned by misinformation being spread by the increasing number of crisis pregnancy centers, "CPCs," in their states.

"As the legal officials charged with enforcing our jurisdictions’ consumer protection laws, we support Yelp’s efforts to ensure that consumers receive clear information about the limitations of the services and staff available at CPCs. CPCs do not provide full-scope reproductive healthcare and often use deceptive tactics to lure in patients seeking reproductive healthcare. These tactics can have dire health consequences and rob patients of their healthcare choices," the letter states.

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The letter goes on to accuse these centers of offering limited medical services to women, of having limited licensed medical staff, and of using "deceptive and unethical methods to lure pregnant people who are seeking comprehensive reproductive healthcare—including abortion—into their centers." 

The Democratic AGs said these tactics have caused "real harm," to patients, citing examples of where women with ectopic pregnancies were misdiagnosed and other examples of alleged patient harm.

Several pro-life groups reacted to the letter, in statements to Fox News Digital, by pushing back on the claims that these centers don't provide quality medical care. Some suggested there was a political and financial motivation behind the attack.

"Pregnancy centers exist to help women in need by providing free pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, medical exams, counseling, parenting classes, financial classes; items such as food, diapers, and clothing; and financial assistance for housing and utilities," Kelsey Pritchard, Director of State Public Affairs for Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America said. 

"The twisted attempts to hinder pregnancy resource centers’ ability to serve women prove that Democrats are not pro-choice, they are pro-abortion. Today’s Democrats view success as more abortions and with the help of Yelp and Big Tech, they are concealing the options that exist for women," she added.

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Jeanne Mancini, President of March for Life said, "The more than 3,000 pregnancy resource centers (PRCs) across our nation are on the frontlines every day helping women who want to keep their children do so. These centers enjoy overwhelming support (91%) from Americans of every demographic, providing tangible resources like food, clothing and housing assistance as well as the emotional support and encouragement women who have chosen life are often seeking."

Unlike abortion centers like Planned Parenthood, these centers are not operating with a "financial interest," she argued.

"[P]RCs have no financial interest at stake but benevolently and generously come alongside women facing an unexpected pregnancy. It is simply unconscionable that any politician would endeavor to rob such freedom, choice and true support from these women," she added.

Heartbeat International, which bills itself as "the first network of pro-life pregnancy resource centers in the U.S." argued the letter was politically driven by Democrats who are financially supported by pro-abortion groups.

"Notice all of the AGs who signed onto this letter are in abortion states. Clearly, Big Abortion is pulling the strings on their political campaign dollars," President Jor-El Godsey said. "Pregnancy help centers continue to help women access alternatives to abortion at no cost. Every woman should be loved and supported in her pregnancy. Unfortunately, these AGs are ignoring a woman’s choice to choose life in favor of supporting abortion profits." 

Tom Glessner, president and founder of The National Institute of Family and Life Advocates, "NIFLA," defended these centers against the accusations they didn't provide quality medical care.

"The crucial work pregnancy centers do for women and their families all across the country is irreplaceable and needed. Our pregnancy centers operate to the highest standards and properly inform women about abortion with peer-reviewed medial information," Glessner said.

"These Attorneys General are purposely targeting this good work for the simple fact that pregnancy centers believe women deserve better than abortion. Instead of attacking these centers and actively taking time and resources away from the very women they claim to want to protect, why not work together to further the good work the pregnancy centers do for women in their time of need?" he asked.

Besides Bonta, the Attorneys Generals of Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia signed the letter.

After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade in the Dobbs decision, Yelp began flagging crisis pregnancy centers with the warning that these providers "typically provide limited medical services and may not have licensed medical professionals onsite."

Yelp removed these disclaimers after Paxton's urging earlier this year, according to his office. However, Yelp does currently flag crisis pregnancy centers with a "consumer notice," which warns they do not provide abortion or refer to abortion providers.

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Fox News' Lacy Christ contributed to this report.