Planned Parenthood is in the spotlight after heavily edited undercover videos allegedly showing the illegal sale of fetal tissue were released by the Center for Medical Progress, an anti-abortion group. The group plans on releasing more videos in the future with the ultimate goal of cutting funding for the non-profit organization.
Planned Parenthood denies all wrongdoing and said defunding the organization — which receives $500 million in federal funding, though none of the money can legally be spent toward abortion services — would prevent services for 2.7 million women.
Planned Parenthood also has asked National Institute of Health Director Dr. Francis Collins to create an independent panel to review the techniques, risks and benefits of fetal tissue research.
But what is Planned Parenthood and what services do they provide? Here’s the breakdown:
What is Planned Parenthood?
Planned Parenthood claims to be the largest provider of reproductive health services in the United States, providing services to 2.7 million patients in 2013 alone.
It has 700 affiliate health centers scattered across the United States (these include stand-alone clinics and satellite offices). The services offered at different centers vary.
Of its patients, 83% were age 20 or older, according to a GAO report released in March that looks at data from 2010 to 2012. Nearly 80% had incomes at or below 150% of the federal poverty level, according to the same GAO report.
What services does Planned Parenthood offer?
According to organization, these are how their services break down:
Abortion
Planned Parenthood says 3% of the services it provides are abortions.
327,653 abortions were performed in 2013, according to Planned Parenthood.
Sexual Education
Planned Parenthood says it provides sex education to 1.5 million people each year
Pregnancy Prevention and Birth Control
Planned Parenthood says it prevents an estimated 516,000 unintended pregnancies per year
Contraception accounted for 34% of the services it provided, according to a GAO report released in March that looks at data from 2010 through 2012.
Further breakdown:
reversible contraception patients (2.1 million)
emergency contraception kits (1.4 million)
vasectomies (4,166)
female sterilization procedures (822)
Pregnancy tests — 1.1 million tests done in 2013
Prenatal care — provided to 18,684 people in 2013
Sexually transmitted disease screening and treatment
Planned Parenthood say this accounts for 42% of the services provided. (The GAO calculates 41% in 2012 by affiliates)
4.5 million tests and treatments provided in 2013.
This represents the largest proportion of medical services provided
Pap smears (cervical cancer screening) — 400,000 per year
Breast exams — 500,000 per year
Research — Planned Parenthood says it participated in more than 70 research projects, according to its 2013-2014 annual report.
According to the Guttmacher Institute, publicly funded family planning in 2013 helped women avoid 2 million unintended pregnancies, by providing millions of women with access to contraceptive services they want and need. Without these services, the rates of unintended pregnancy, they say, unplanned birth and abortion would be 60% higher.
Guttmacher also says 27% of all women in the United States who obtain contraceptive services do so at a publicly funded health center that provides family planning services, such as Planned Parenthood.
The Guttmacher Institute identifies itself as a nonprofit that works to advance sexual and reproductive health worldwide through research, policy analysis and public education.