When conversations around women’s health come up, Planned Parenthood is often presented as the go-to provider. But when you dig into the numbers, a different story emerges—one that reveals major gaps in care and shows how Pregnancy Resource Centers (PRCs) are stepping in to meet real needs.
What Planned Parenthood Actually Provides
According to their own reports, Planned Parenthood operates more than 500 health centers across the country. And while it’s true that abortion is a core part of their services, Planned Parenthood is also one of the largest providers of sexual and reproductive health services in the United States. Their services typically include:
- Abortion services – surgical and chemical abortion procedures account for a large portion of their revenue.
- Contraception – birth control prescriptions, devices, and emergency contraception.
- STD/STI testing and treatment – screening and treatments for sexually transmitted infections.
- Cancer screenings – such as Pap smears and breast exams.
- General sexual health information – sex education and referrals.
However, one notable gap is that Planned Parenthood does not provide prenatal care or comprehensive OB/GYN services for women who want to carry their pregnancies.
According to Planned Parenthood’s most recent annual report (2024):
- Abortions – 402,200 abortions were performed, making up a major source of their services and revenue.
- Prenatal Care – Only 7,008 prenatal services were reported. That’s less than 1% of their abortion numbers.
- Adoption Referrals – Just 1,803 referrals for adoption across the entire country.
- Cancer Screenings – Down by over 70% since 2004, even though Planned Parenthood still cites them as a reason for their existence.
- Contraception – Services have dropped by nearly 30% in the last decade.
So while Planned Parenthood often positions itself as a “women’s health provider,” the data shows a heavy emphasis on abortion and a sharp decline in other areas of care.
And closures are happening fast: over the last decade, more than 400 Planned Parenthood locations have shut down, leaving many communities without any of their services.
How Pregnancy Resource Centers Are Filling the Gap
This is where Pregnancy Resource Centers (PRCs) are stepping up. While Planned Parenthood’s model focuses heavily on abortion, PRCs exist to walk alongside women who find themselves pregnant, filling healthcare and support gaps that Planned Parenthood doesn’t meet.
Across the country, PRCs offer:
- Free pregnancy tests and ultrasounds – giving women the first glimpse of their baby and providing crucial information for decision-making.
- Prenatal and parenting support – referrals to OB/GYNs, prenatal vitamins, classes, and even doula support in some centers.
- Material assistance – diapers, formula, maternity clothes, and baby gear, often available long after birth.
- STD/STI testing – many centers are expanding to include these screenings as a service.
- Emotional and spiritual support – through mentorship, counseling, and encouragement.
According to the Charlotte Lozier Institute’s 2022 report on PRCs:
- Over 3,000 centers operate nationwide (compared to about 500 Planned Parenthoods).
- More than 970,000 women and families served annually.
- Over 486,000 free ultrasounds performed in one year.
- More than 160,000 STI/STD tests provided.
- $350 million in free medical, education, and support services offered at no cost to women and families.
- 8 in 10 PRC clients report a positive experience and say the center empowered them to make informed decisions.
Why This Matters
Planned Parenthood centers focus almost exclusively on abortion, leaving massive gaps in prenatal, parenting, and ongoing family support. Pregnancy Resource Centers are not only stepping into those gaps—they’re outpacing Planned Parenthood in reach, accessibility, and long-term care.
When a Planned Parenthood closes, it doesn’t have to mean women are left without help. In fact, PRCs are often the ones expanding services to meet those very needs:
- Providing medical care, including Ultrasounds, pregnancy tests, and STD testing.
- Providing practical support like diapers, formula, clothing, and car seats.
- Offering emotional support and guidance through counseling and mentorship.
- Connecting women to housing, healthcare, and recovery programs.
- Walking with women for the entire pregnancy and beyond, something Planned Parenthood does not do.
As Planned Parenthood centers close, many communities may feel that they are left with a void in women’s services. But PRCs are there—often operating on donations, volunteer support, and the conviction that every woman deserves real choice, not just the option of abortion.
PRCs aren’t just about a single appointment or a medical procedure. They walk with women for the long haul—through pregnancy, birth, and beyond—offering resources that meet the whole person: body, mind, and spirit.
A Better Vision for Women
At the end of the day, Planned Parenthood may say they provide “care, no matter what,” but when it comes to women who want to carry their child, the services are limited. PRCs are filling the very gaps Planned Parenthood doesn’t cover—and doing so with compassion, dignity, and hope.
That’s why the work of pregnancy centers is so vital. They are not only standing in the gap but transforming lives—proving that women deserve better than abortion.
Building a Culture of Life
Planned Parenthood’s business model is built around abortion, not holistic care. Pregnancy Resource Centers, on the other hand, are building a culture of life by providing comprehensive support—medical, material, emotional, and spiritual—without charging women a dime.
That’s what real empowerment looks like. And it’s why PRCs are not just filling the healthcare gaps Planned Parenthood leaves behind—they’re creating a better future for women, children, and families.
