When someone searches online for a pregnancy test, abortion care, or other reproductive health services, how can they tell whether the place that pops up is actually a healthcare provider?

That’s one of the questions Pro-Choice North Carolina Executive Director Tara Romano tackled in a recent episode of rePROs Fight Back, a podcast focused on sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice.

Tara joined host Jennie Wetter for a conversation about anti-abortion centers, often called crisis pregnancy centers or CPCs, and the ways they can present themselves as healthcare providers while offering limited services and promoting anti-abortion information.

The problem is especially significant in North Carolina. The state has roughly 100 anti-abortion centers compared with 16 standalone abortion clinics, according to figures discussed in the episode. And while these centers have been around for decades, public funding for them has grown substantially. The 2023 state budget alone included nearly $19 million dollars for pregnancy centers, including $6 million per year allocated to the Carolina Pregnancy Care Fellowship for grants, equipment, training, educational resources, and its Circle of Care program. 

But Tara’s conversation with Jennie goes beyond funding. They talk about what happens when someone mistakes an anti-abortion center for a medical provider, including delays in getting prenatal or abortion care, questions about medical oversight and privacy, and the particular risks for people who already face barriers to healthcare. And they talk about what all of us can do.

You don’t have to know everything about reproductive healthcare to be a trusted source of information. Learn which providers in your community offer actual reproductive healthcare. Know where someone can get a pregnancy test or find reliable information. And when someone comes to you with questions, help them find accurate information without judgment.

As Tara put it, being a resource doesn’t mean having all the answers. What matters is helping people get the information and resources they need to make their own decisions.

Listen to the full conversation on rePROs Fight Back.