Whenever the nonprofit organization Planned Parenthood is mentioned, more often than not the word “abortion” is used in the following lines of dialogue. It seems to be that majority of people – especially politicians – constantly link the two as the same thing when in fact abortion is just one fraction of what this organization does.  

On Feb. 26 2016 at a Republican debate in Houston President Donald Trump stated in his campaign that he “would defund [Planned Parenthood] because of the abortion factor.” He continued to stand by his claim because he is now “pro-life.”

Planned Parenthood receives funding from the federal government, but none of federal tax dollars goes towards abortions themselves. The 1976 Hyde Amendment bans federal funding for abortions except in cases of rape, incest, or a threat on the woman’s life. Instead, the funding goes towards affordable women’s and men’s health care. While Planned Parenthood also receives funding from Medicaid government funded health insurance for people with low incomes and Title X the family planning program. These funds can only be used for family planning healthcare.

Three days after taking the oval office, Trump signed an executive order to defund International Planned Parenthood with the Mexico City Policy or Global Gag Rule. In summary, the policy blocks United States federal funding for non-governmental organizations that provide abortions or are advocates for these services.

In the fall of 2015, a 57 year-old male attacked the Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood clinic and killed three people. His reasoning for this attack followed along  the lines of being a “warrior for babies.” He dreamed that he would be greeted in heaven by aborted fetuses thanking him. Due to the stigma of Planned Parenthood just being an abortion factory, this man murdered three innocent people.

However, in 2013 the organization released their annual report with abortions only counting for three percent of the 10.6 million services performed. This statistic also follows with the 4.5 million tests for sexually transmitted diseases, 3.6 million contraception services such as birth control, 1.1 million pregnancy tests and prenatal services, and lastly, the 935,573 cancer screenings.

With approximately 650 locations across the country the organization offers general health care, HIV testing, STD treatment/testing, birth control, morning-after pills, abortion services, and pregnancy testing/services. All of these services are open to anyone at little-or-no cost.

Arguments to disband Planned Parenthood because the organization offers abortions are centered around morals and the idea that terminating a pregnancy should not just be used for convenient contraception. Yet, in disbanding Planned Parenthood they are preventing women from access to these contraceptives like birth control or condoms that prevent pregnancies which in turn prevent abortions.   

Without the organization women would lose health care services and contraceptive devices that would prevent pregnancies with no abortions involved. The idea that Planned Parenthood is just an abortion factory overshadows all of the other important services offered and needed by many.

The most important takeaway in all of this is that banning Planned Parenthood or legal abortion services will not stop abortions. People believe if that if abortion services magically disappear then, so will all abortions.

This is an unrealistic expectation. Banning abortions do not stop the practice – it only makes it more dangerous.

A report from Lancet – a medical journal – claims that abortion rates in countries that have outlawed them are higher than countries with access to abortions. The World Health Organization stated that 22 million unsafe abortions are performed each year due to lack of medical access; they also estimate that 47 thousand women and girls die each year from unsafe abortions.

Defunding Planned Parenthood will not stop abortions.

The reality is that defunding it in any way will create a nation of at-risk women, not to mention to unsafe abortions. The loss of Planned Parenthood will only prevent women and men from necessary access to healthcare.