Planned Parenthood Celebrates Record Number of Abortions, Reveals It Gets Most of Funding from Federal Govt

Planned Parenthood is celebrating a record number of abortions at its clinics, despite an overall drop in the number of abortions performed nationwide, according to the abortion giant's 2018-2019 annual report released last week. 

The nation's largest abortion provider records an astounding number of nearly 346,000 abortions performed at its facilities in 2018 – a 4 percent increase over 2017. No doubt, it is cornering the abortion market, even as the number of independent abortion clinics has fallen by 32 percent, according to The Christian Post. One hundred thirty-six independent clinics have closed since 2014.  According to LiveActionNews, Planned Parenthood now performs 40% of all abortions done in the United States.

Planned Parenthood acknowledges these are challenging times in its industry and what it calls the "right" to abortion.  In 2019, it dealt with noisy controversy when it dumped its new president who wanted to re-brand the abortion giant as a health care organization rather than focusing on abortion advocacy and tried to muzzle her with a confidentiality clause in her exit agreement which she refused to sign.

Also, throughout the country, a number of states have passed heartbeat laws and other policies that restrict abortion.  Under the Trump administration, a new Title X rule that forbids clinics receiving federal funds from referring clients for abortion, caused Planned Parenthood to forego $60 million in federal tax dollars. Yet, in its report, the leading abortion provider in the country still gets most of its dollars (37%) from various grants and other programs of the federal government.

Data from the Guttmacher Institute, the research arm of Planned Parenthood, shows approximately 862,320 abortions were performed in 2017, down 7% from 926,190 in 2014. Guttmacher reports 2017 had the lowest abortion rate ever observed in the United States.

With actual abortions down nationwide, Planned Parenthood has not neglected the public relations battle it must engage in order to keep clients coming.  Its report details outreaches to culture influencers in the media and local communities who will promote abortion and the work of Planned Parenthood. One example, at this year's Sundance Film Festival, the report touts that Planned Parenthood "built connections with more than 40 TV, film and entertainment creators, and nearly 20 new artists," which the report says "is paving the way for accurate storytelling in Hollywood" about abortion. 

With a pro-life President, a Supreme Court trending more conservative, as well as 29 states passing some kind of restriction on abortion, and others considering it, The New York Times reported in December abortion supporters believe the right to abortion is imperiled, according to the CP. Considering that, expect abortion advocates and their primary mouthpiece, Planned Parenthood's public relations juggernaut, to continue to promote abortion and intensify in 2020.