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Report: Abortion-Seekers Face Manipulation, Misinformation in Virginia

One of Virginia’s leading abortion rights groups says about 70 percent of the state’s crisis pregnancy centers told patients that the procedure leads to psychological damage, alcoholism, drug addiction or eating disorders.

One of Virginia’s leading abortion rights groups says about 70 percent of the state’s crisis pregnancy centers told patients that the procedure leads to psychological damage, alcoholism, drug addiction or eating disorders.

The NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia Foundation says when it conducted a year-long survey it also found that more than 40 percent of crisis centers in the state tell patients that abortions also can cause infertility and pregnancy complications and that a little less than a third tell patients that abortions cause breast cancer.

The survey, conducted between June 2012 and June 2013, also found that some crisis centers were unwilling to help women comply with a state law requiring transabdominal ultrasounds at least 24 hours in advance of an abortion, the group said. The report concludes that three crisis clinics — advertised on the state’s list of no-cost ultrasound providers — indicated that they would refuse copies of ultrasound images, preventing women from getting approval to terminate a pregnancy at an abortion clinic.

Caroline Cournoyer is GOVERNING's senior web editor.
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