The Growing Role of Crisis Pregnancy Centers in Rural Communities

The 7B Care Clinic, located on the outskirts of Sandpoint, Idaho, is an anti-abortion pregnancy center affiliated with the nationwide Christian evangelical network Care Net. Originally called Life Choices Pregnancy Center and Sandpoint Crisis Pregnancy Center, 7B has been serving the community since 2001. The center offers free resources such as pregnancy tests, limited ultrasounds, parenting classes, and children’s clothing, funded by donations from individuals, businesses, and more than 40 churches.

Crisis pregnancy centers aim to dissuade women from having abortions, offering limited medical services and resources. Critics, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, have highlighted unethical practices used by some centers to attract clients. Traffic at 7B Care Clinic increased after the local hospital closed its labor and delivery unit three years ago, creating a gap in reproductive health services for the town of over 10,000 residents.

By December 2024, Idaho had lost a significant number of OB-GYNs due to the Supreme Court’s overturning of nationwide abortion rights in its Dobbs decision. In response, 7B plans to expand its operations, including adding to its current building and collaborating with a nearby hospital in Washington state to bring in an OB-GYN for prenatal care once a week.

As rural areas face hospital closures, the influence of crisis pregnancy centers grows. These centers receive increased state and federal funding and have been granted legal protections from oversight. Despite being unaffiliated with formal medical institutions, 7B provides essential resources to low-income women, albeit with an agenda critics deem inappropriate for pregnant patients.

Jen Jackson Quintano, founder of the Pro-Voice Project, argues that crisis pregnancy centers often mislead clients by offering free services before delivering anti-abortion messages. Janine Shepard, Executive Director of 7B, invites skeptics to tour the facility to understand its offerings better.

Andrea Swartzendruber, an epidemiology expert, has researched crisis pregnancy centers for years and notes an increase in their presence in healthcare deserts. Her findings show that crisis pregnancy centers are more abundant than abortion clinics, with over 2,600 operating across the U.S.

Sandpoint, a small town in a conservative part of Idaho, provides a fertile ground for 7B’s expansion. Lori Sabin, a midwife, praises 7B for offering free services that benefit young mothers lacking healthcare resources. However, the resemblance of 7B to medical facilities raises concern about the care quality provided.

Lisa Battisfore, founder of Reproductive Transparency Now, acknowledges the benefits of services like free diapers but warns of broader misleading practices. A recent Texas case highlighted misdiagnoses at crisis pregnancy centers, illustrating the dangers of blurred lines between activism and medical care.

In Sandpoint, Bonner General Health has faced criticism for closing its labor and delivery unit. Efforts to restore community trust include establishing a women’s health committee and providing prenatal care from traveling nurse practitioners. The search for a permanent gynecologist is ongoing.

Local resident Makayla Sundquist expressed concern about relying on an anti-abortion faith-based center for accurate healthcare information as she considers starting a family. Her doubts mirror those of many facing limited local maternity options.