Cherry Hill Pregnancy Center Deceives Women With 'Anti-Choice' Agenda: Congressman

CHERRY HILL, NJ — A women's health clinic in Cherry Hill is among dozens in the state posing as reproductive-care providers to promote an "anti-choice" agenda, according to a New Jersey congressman.

Options For Her is one of about 50 crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) in the state, according to Rep. Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). The nonprofit facilities claim to prioritize women's health care while instead manipulating women away from abortion care, he said.

Gottheimer stood outside Options For Her on Monday, criticizing the facility as he called out CPCs.

"Like all of these so-called Crisis Pregnancy Centers in New Jersey and around the country," Gottheimer said, "they'll never refer you for an abortion, even in cases of rape, incest, and when the life of the mother is at risk."

Gottheimer promoted federal action that would end public funding for CPCs and penalize them for spreading misinformation about abortion services.

Options For Her never refers anyone for abortion services, according to its website. The organization spreads misinformation about navigating unplanned pregnancy, even promoting "abortion pill reversal," Gottheimer said.

Such treatments, meant to reverse medication abortion, are unethical and not backed by scientific evidence, according to The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Options For Her also has locations in Trenton and Ocean City. The organization is part of the NJ Consortium of Pregnancy Centers, which describes itself as "a group of life-affirming, non-profit organizations providing women facing unexpected pregnancies with free consultations, medical confirmation of pregnancy and parenting preparation with material aid."

In a joint statement from the consortium and Options For Her, the entities claimed that Gottheimer made "misinformed" statements.

"Misrepresenting the work of pregnancy resource centers will actually be hurting women and families," said Deborah Biskey, CEO of Options For Her. "Rep. Gottheimer is casting an untruthful and negative light while making false claims about the very places that give women complete information to feel confident in making sound and informed choices regarding their pregnancies."

Options For Her provides pregnancy testing and ultrasounds. The organization's website delves into the "risks" of abortion, while promoting adoption and parenting as alternative options.

Planned Parenthood warns that CPCs spread misinformation about abortion, birth control and sexual health. Since CPCs aren't legitimate medical clinics, they aren't bound by HIPAA and don't need to keep personal health information confidential, the reproductive-health organization warns.

There are about 4,000 CPCs across the United States, according to Planned Parenthood's estimates — outnumbering abortion clinics 5-to-1.

Abortion remains legal in New Jersey in the wake of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization — the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 ruling allowing states to prohibit the procedure. But since the ruling, state officials have pushed to strengthen abortion care in New Jersey.

In late 2022, State Attorney General Matthew Platkin issued a consumer alert for CPCs, warning that they seek to prevent access to abortion care, "sometimes by providing false or misleading information about the safety and legality of abortion," the attorney general's office says.