With the growing debate on Planned Parenthood, due to recent political developments and campaigns, there seems to be multiple common misconceptions. People often falsely believe things they hear on social media or word of mouth and fail to do their fair share of research. Luckily, I have created a quick guide to a few misconceptions that have been rapidly gaining popularity.
Myth:
Most of Planned Parenthood's services are abortions.
The Truth:
Actually abortions only account for 3% of total operations. The most common services are STD testing, contraception, and cancer screenings.
Myth:
Five-hundred million dollars is too much money for women's health services.
The Truth:
This federal figure recitation isn't unique to the abortion debate. When a politician says we spend $500 million to fund Planned Parenthood, it seems like an exorbitantamount of money. However, if you consider the number of women in the United States, the spending on Planned Parenthood's services amounts to around a paltry $3 per woman.
Myth:
The government pays for most abortions at Planned Parenthood since it receives public funds.
The Truth:
Title X, the law focusing on family planning expenditures, does not allow federal funds to pay for abortions. However, the Hyde Amendment makes an exception to this rule, where only cases of incest, rape, or life endangerment qualify for federal funding.
Myth:
Planned Parenthood sells aborted fetuses for profit.
The Truth:
Planned Parenthood is legally allowed to donate fetuses to medical research institutions, provided parental consent. However, any center that undertakes such action cannot receive payment for such a transaction. This latest controversy revolves around an aspect of the transaction that is unclear. Facilities have received funds from these institutions to cover expenses related to transportation. It is unclear whether such a transaction is legal, given that the center does not profit from this sort of undertaking.
