Anti-abortion centers, or “crisis pregnancy centers,” as you might have heard them referred to, are popping up everywhere: In the news, in our communities, and on our Google searches when we’re simply trying to find basic reproductive healthcare — especially if you live in Texas.

Texas not only has the most “CPCs” in the nation, but it also leads the nation in funding them. These insidious fake clinics are materializing at a rapid rate across the country — what happens in Texas never stays in Texas.

So what are anti-abortion centers/crisis pregnancy centers? Why are they bad? And why are we seeing them everywhere in the age of abortion bans?

In this installment of our RJ 101 series, we’ll unpack it all.

What is an Anti-Abortion Center, Often Referred to as a “Crisis Pregnancy Center”?

Anti-abortion centers (AACs) exist to keep pregnant people from accessing abortion care. They often disguise themselves as “women’s healthcare facilities,” medical clinics, or centers that provide full-spectrum resources to pregnant people. But, in reality, they do not share accurate information about the full range of reproductive health options or offer the full range of services.

They’re a critical component of the anti-abortion movement’s dedicated campaign to stigmatize abortion care, providers, and people who get abortions. In recent years, many of these centers added medical trappings to appear legitimate. However, the goal is still the same: These fake clinics or “crisis pregnancy centers” shame and coerce Texans who need abortion care.

The majority of AACs are non-medical facilities. Meaning these fake clinics are not bound by medical privacy laws, like HIPAA. Before they provide the free services they claim to offer, like ultrasounds or pregnancy tests, AACs will often require people to fill out extensive questionnaires and medical histories. Because those non-medical facilities are not HIPAA-compliant, they have no obligation to keep your data private or provide accurate information during your visit. Essentially, they can legally lie to you.

Notably, these fake clinics often lie about the gestational age of pregnancies after ultrasounds. AACs also force people to come to multiple appointments without providing any resources. Both are common deceptions meant to delay abortion care and/or convince people that it’s too late for them to seek abortion care.

Unpacking the Harm: How Are Anti-Abortion Centers/Crisis Pregnancy Centers Hurting Our Communities?

The same anti-abortion groups and politicians who’ve banned abortion and created our current reproductive healthcare crisis are behind the spread of anti-abortion centers.

Anti-abortion centers not only harm individual Texans who go to them expecting care and find nothing but lies and propaganda — they build and reinforce the stigma that allows for abortion bans.

Here in Texas, we know the consequences of abortion bans intimately. A maternal health crisis is raging across our state, with septic rates on the rise. And abortion bans are killing us, especially Black Texans.

While anti-abortion centers feed the stigma behind cruel abortion bans, they’re also key pollinators of disinformation.

They peddle common lies about abortion, such as claims about effects on future fertility. Another claim we’ve recently heard from anti-abortion centers is that they can perform “abortion reversal” procedures.

The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists disputes both of these lies, saying that evidence shows people can get pregnant immediately after having abortions and that no evidence proves medication abortion “reversal” is effective. They also add that, “Medication abortion ‘reversal’ procedures could be dangerous.”

Recently, news broke that a fake clinic missed a Texas woman’s ectopic pregnancy when they performed her ultrasound. She almost died and was rushed into emergency surgery just days after her appointment at Abundant Life Pregnancy Resource Center in Athens, TX.

Access to evidence-based reproductive care isn’t just what we deserve. It’s a matter of life or death.

How are Anti-Abortion Centers Funded in Texas?

Simply put, your tax dollars!

In 2005, anti-abortion lawmakers in Texas redirected money from the Temporary Assistance Aid to Needy Families grant (TANF) to their “Alternatives to Abortion” budget item.

21 years later, the bloated program rebranded as “Thriving Texas Families,” the umbrella name for the network of nonprofits running AACs in Texas.

GOP lawmakers have steadily increased funding to the deceptive program each legislative session.

According to ProPublica, the program is funded at “$100 million a year [as of] Sept. 1, [2025]— making it the most heavily funded effort of its kind in the country.”

Since 2005, $489 million has been pumped into that program. Imagine if that money were used to fully fund public education for our kids, feed Texans, or repair critical infrastructure, like our electrical grid. Imagine!

What Can I Do About Anti-Abortion Centers?

Education is key. Make sure you don’t go to an anti-abortion center for care, and make sure the people in your life don’t either!

Anti-abortion centers are extremely adept at appearing to be straightforward medical clinics that have no agenda or bias. In some of our communities, these fake clinics are the only options for miles. Know that if you accidentally find yourself at an anti-abortion center, it’s not your fault.

Before you receive care anywhere, check this database to ensure you don’t unwittingly go to an anti-abortion center. Share this info with your friends!

When you head to the voting booth, make sure you vote for candidates aligned with your views on reproductive justice.

And lastly, get involved with Avow!

Busting abortion stigma starts in your own community. Take a look at our “Let’s Talk About Abortion” toolkit to learn more about talking to the people in your life about abortion, including the harm of fake clinics.

Make sure you follow us on social media for upcoming trainings, volunteering, and organizing opportunities!