A new op-ed from a Planned Parenthood CEO claims that women are now at higher risk of dying from breast cancer. Why? Because of pro-life laws, of course!
Rebecca Gibron is CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawai’i, Alaska, Indiana, Kentucky (PPGNHAIK), the largest geographic affiliate in the abortion chain. In the Indiana Capital Chronicle, she argued that a lack of access to abortion has prevented women from getting breast cancer screenings.
Right away, this should cause us to see the obvious: if certain “health care” businesses had to ultimately close because they could no longer end the lives of preborn children, then this is evidence that this grisly ‘care’ was the main thing keeping their businesses afloat — not providing actual lifesaving cancer screenings, and not even providing things like contraceptives and STD testing.
“I can’t say this enough: Breast cancer screenings are critical for early detection and saving lives,” Gibron concluded. “Planned Parenthood plays a vital role by offering these screenings during wellness exams and anytime a patient expresses concern. With fewer providers available, everyone must stay proactive about their health. If you have concerns about your breast health, don’t wait—schedule a screening with your provider today.”
Does Planned Parenthood help women with breast cancer?
Gibron made sure to present Planned Parenthood as a legitimate health care provider upon which millions of women rely, including for breast cancer prevention and treatment. This could not be further from the truth… and Planned Parenthood’s own annual reports prove it.
Year after year, the annual report shows that legitimate health care services — like cancer screenings — are dwindling. The most recent annual report for 2022-23 showed that the abortion corporation’s total cancer screenings have dropped 79% since their high in 2004. Preventative care — or “well woman” visits, at which clinical breast exams are likely to take place — have dropped 45% at Planned Parenthood since their high in 2016.
And while Planned Parenthood commits about 40% of the nation’s abortions, it only serves about 3% of women of reproductive age in the U.S.
Planned Parenthood has also repeatedly misled the public about providing mammograms for women. Not one single Planned Parenthood facility is certified by the FDA to perform mammograms, though Planned Parenthood has claimed throughout the years that they do.
Interestingly enough, the American Cancer Society recommends that clinical breast exams should not take the place of mammograms as a cancer screening method for women in the United States, and adds that “there was moderate evidence that doing [clinical breast exams] along with mammography increases the rate of false positives. Based on this information, the current guideline does not recommend [clinical breast exams] for US women at any age.”
Is abortion a requirement for treating cancer?
“One in 3 oncology fellows surveyed by the American Society of Clinical Oncology says abortion restrictions hurt cancer care, and more than half of fellows said they are likely to consider the impact of abortion restrictions on care when deciding where to practice,” Gibron wrote. “Although many states like Indiana allow exceptions when the termination of a pregnancy is necessary to protect the life of the pregnant patient, the rules on how to apply these exceptions are unclear. In Ohio, two cancer patients were denied treatment until terminating their pregnancies under the state’s 6-week ban, forcing them to seek care out of state. As these bans persist, more Hoosiers will face similar situations – many of which may go unseen.”
The women cited as being denied treatment come from pro-abortion sources; specifically, Planned Parenthood and Women’s Med Center of Dayton, which are both abortion businesses. A staffer at Women’s Med Center said that a patient was told she couldn’t undergo melanoma treatment unless she had an abortion, while in the other case, Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio Medical Director Sharon Liner said a woman who became pregnant while already undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer had to undergo an abortion before she could resume treatment.
It must first be said that abortion is not necessary for pregnant women who are battling cancer. This is, indeed, something women are frequently told is required, yet it is also known that both surgery and chemotherapy can be completed safely during pregnancy. According to the National Foundation for Cancer Research:
Both surgery and chemotherapy can be safe for both the woman and the fetus. The health team will consider many factors, including the type, location, size, and stage of the cancer. Depending on these factors, the woman may be able to receive treatment immediately. Depending on the drug, the health team may recommend waiting until after the first trimester (when the baby’s organs are developed) or waiting until after the birth to start chemotherapy.
The American Cancer Society has even pointed out that the recommendation to have an abortion is no longer routinely recommended evidence-based care:
Some older studies found that ending a pregnancy in order to have cancer treatment didn’t improve a woman’s prognosis (outlook). Even though there were flaws in these studies, ending the pregnancy is no longer routinely recommended when breast cancer is found. Still, this option may be discussed when looking at all the treatment choices available, especially for metastatic (stage IV) or aggressive cancers that may need treatment right away, such as inflammatory breast cancer.
And as is stated in the quote above, the American Cancer Society is aware that studies have shown abortion does not improve a pregnant cancer patient’s prognosis.
Healthline has additionally noted that the recommendation to have an abortion due to cancer is often because doctors don’t know how to safely treat the mother while protecting the preborn child. “Today more women are choosing to treat their cancer while they’re pregnant,” they explained, adding, “Treatment choices for pregnant people with cancer are the same as treatment choices for nonpregnant people with cancer. How and when treatments are given might be different during pregnancy.”
Studies published in The Lancet and Lancet Oncology found that children born to women who received chemotherapy during pregnancy had normal development, including IQ, hearing, and heart function.
The abortion industry cares about one thing: abortion. Women do not need abortion to fight breast cancer, and abortion facilities are not bastions of health care upon which women rely for help fighting cancer.
This op-ed from Gibron is nothing more than another desperate attempt at capitalizing on the current media narrative, throwing horror stories at the wall about pro-life laws, and hoping that something — anything — will stick.
