Counselors from so-called Crisis Pregnancy Centres (CPCs) in Britain are allegedly giving women false information regarding abortion and possible adverse health concerns. A reporter going undercover for The Telegraph has revealed that women are being told that having an abortion can cause cancer, infertility, and can turn them into a child abuser.

“It is vital that any woman considering an abortion is offered impartial and non-judgmental counseling, accurately advising her of all her options, so that she can make an informed decision,” a representative from the Department of Health said in a statement.

What are CPCs?

There are currently an estimated 100 CPCs scattered around the UK that claim to offer “trained advisers” who can act as information hubs for pregnant women. Unfortunately, what is supposed to be a helpful resource for women looking to terminate their pregnancy is actually a front for pro-life and anti-abortion advocates. CPCs are not regulated by the National Health Services (NHS) and are, in some cases, a cover for religious groups.

Video obtained by Telegraph reporters shows advisers from the Central London Women’s Centre (CLWC) and Alma Pregnancy Advisory Service (APAS) tell pregnant women about the “risks” of abortion. Reporters posing as pregnant women looking for information on abortion are told that women who do so are at “an increased statistical likelihood of child abuse,” and “there’s also a link with breast cancer.” However, Dr. Kate Guthrie, a representative for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists confirmed there is no scientific evidence establishing a link between having an abortion and breast cancer, and the risk of infertility is “very, very low.”

CPCs are not only a problem in the UK

Pro-Choice America, a nonprofit abortion advocacy group, estimates there are around 4,000 CPCs across the United States. Like CPCs in the UK, similar organizations in America tell pregnant women that an abortion can cause breast cancer, infertility, and can even result in psychological damage. They also tell young girls looking for information on contraceptive methods that taking birth control pills can cause an unwanted abortion.

According to Planned Parenthood, CPCs usually appear as an actual health care provider although they are not regulated as such. CPCs have a long history of giving pregnant women biased information to help sway their decision into having an abortion. Independent counselors working for CPCs will sometimes even resort to disturbing videos or photos that cast abortion in a negative light and will often discourage the use of safe and effective birth control methods.

To attract attention from more pregnant women, CPCs will often pick a name that is similar to a well-known reproductive health facility and open their place of business near said facility. They also implore fake advertising and show misleading pictures and videos in hopes of swaying their decision. Some have even gone so far as to tell a pregnant woman that she is, in fact, not pregnant so she will continue with her pregnancy. Make sure you question the legitimacy of unregulated health care providers before asking for help.