San Diego Abortion Providers Under the Microscope

San Diego’s two largest abortion providers have made headlines this summer. On September 12th Family Planning Associates (FPA) were reported to have had a woman die after a botched abortion while she was being transported to the hospital. [1] A few weeks earlier on September 4th, the same FPA clinic was reported to have sent another young woman to have an emergency hysterectomy. The patient’s mother heard the distressed cries of her daughter and called 911 when FPA refused to call. [1] FPA’s Chief Executive Officer is on the record explaining how his clinics are like an assembly line, “Very commonly, we hear patients say that they feel like they’re on an assembly line. We tell them they’re right. It is an assembly line… We’re trying to be as cost-effective as possible and speed is important… We try to use the physician for his technical skill and reduce the one-to-one relationship with the patient. We usually see the patient for the first time on the operation table and then not again. More contact is just not efficient.”[2]

Planned Parenthood violated patient’s rights

August 14 was to be the date of a wrongful termination lawsuit (Murray v. Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest). Carla Murray was a nurse practitioner at Planned Parenthood’s Chula Vista clinic who began to blow a whistle in 2012. Murray reported to her supervisor (Thelma Mendoza) that unlicensed non-medical personnel were dispensing medication to patients. This is a significant violation of health codes, and could result in the County Health Department investigations, big fines, pulling of medical licenses and even closing clinics. The issue came to a head on March 8, 2013 when a teenaged girl was brought to the clinic by her step mom. The underage girl was very vocal that she did not want the Depo-Provera shot that her step mother was demanding. The San Diego Reader reported:

“Murray, it’s alleged, felt that it would be inappropriate to proceed with the injection and instead decided, after conferring with another staff member, to provide the girl with “emergency contraception, condoms and educational handouts.” However, after the stepmother became irate (Murray states she heard her “screaming in the lobby”), Thelma Mendoza ordered the injection without authority to do so. On March 12, Murray reported the incident to Planned Parenthood’s risk-management department, which conducted and soon thereafter closed a perfunctory investigation. On March 30, Planned Parenthood terminated Murray.”[3]

In the State of California, a minor can make reproductive decisions for themselves.[4] The law permits a minor to seek an abortion or visit a Pregnancy Care Clinic without parental notification or approval. Minors are also protected by law against coercion or forced treatment including Depo-Provera and even abortion. The minor girl in this story, as told by the San Diego Reader, had her rights violated by both her step mother and Planned Parenthood. There should be an investigation by the Health Department and potential fines, license suspensions and potentially criminal charges. Planned Parenthood and Carla Murray settled their suit outside of court, so an investigation is not likely to happen. We will never know the extent of the abuse of the law and the rights of that girl. For their 2013/2014 Fiscal Year, PPFA reported more than $127 million in excess revenue (profit), and more than $1.4 billion in net assets.[5] They can afford to pay off a whistle blower to keep her quiet. However, this silence is at the expense of the community of San Diego and Chula Vista who are left in the dark about the malpractice that occurred.

Planned Parenthood exposed

Meanwhile, the summer of 2015 revealed the #1 abortion provider in the United States is selling the “tissues” of aborted fetuses for medical research. The Center for Medical Progress has released weekly segments of their documentary Human Capital Project. [6] Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) defended their actions in the media and before Congress. Federal law prohibits the sale of fetal tissue for profit [7]. The House of Representatives launched investigations into potential criminal violations by PPFA which are still ongoing. Governor Haley of South Carolina, after viewing Human Capital footage, ordered an investigation between August 31 and September 4 which found 27 violations in the State’s 3 abortion facilities – 21 at Planned Parenthood Affiliate alone. The US House of Representatives passed the “Defund Planned Parenthood Act” on September 18th, to impose a one-year moratorium on federal funding for the group, which is intended to allow for a thorough investigation of PPFA’s practices.

In light of PPFA’s challenges of the validity of Human Capital, Coalfire Systems, Inc. was contracted to investigate if the videos released in Human Capital were edited, authentic, or altered. Coalfire is a reputable forensic analysis and cybersecurity company that does work for Fortune 500 companies. They released a report September 28th with analysis indicating, “the recorded media files contained on the flash drive indicates that the video recordings are authentic and show no evidence of manipulation or editing.”[8] This means the assertion from PPFA that Human Capital videos were “highly edited” is not true, and the content is accurate.

Planned Parenthood CEO admits to Congress that she lied.

Planned Parenthood pays 24.7 million dollars in marketing[5] to promote itself as a “Comprehensive Health Provider.” This message is misleading since PPFA leaders and supporters have claimed falsely that they perform mammograms and that there are no other options for care. President Obama said, “Precisely because in many of these states Planned Parenthood is your ONLY POSSIBLE ACCESS to not only abortion but pap smears, cervical cancer screenings, mammograms. It is a place where women who may not otherwise have the means can take care of their own bodies.”[9] The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has a list of over 8700 licensed facilities that provide mammograms in the United States.[10] Not one of them is Planned Parenthood. The other points in Obama’s statement are also false. The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) was passed to provide health coverage for Pap smears, cervical cancer screenings and all other women’s health concerns to those who were previously not covered. There are alternatives to Planned Parenthood!

Cecile Richards PPFA’s CEO was on the Joy Behar show in 2011 where she spoke against the Pence Amendment that would have defunded Planned Parenthood saying, “If this bill ever becomes law, millions of women in this country are going to lose their health care access, not to abortion services, to basic family planning – you know, mammograms, cancer screenings, cervical cancer.”[11] Yet on September 29th of this year Richards stated, under oath, before a Congressional committee, “No Planned Parenthood clinics have mammogram machines“ and she admitted 86% of PPFA’s revenue is from Abortion.[12]

In San Diego, we are blessed to have a myriad of real comprehensive community health providers like; La Maestra, Family Health Centers, San Ysidro Health Center and Borrego Health, not to mention our hospitals! La Maestra announced this summer that they have San Diego’s first licensed and dedicated Mobile Mammography Coach equipped with state-of-the art 3D digital tomosynthesis that will operate in San Diego and Imperial Counties.

Truth is a must when weighing important decisions

We encourage you to be informed. Thomas Jefferson is quoted as saying, “There is not a truth existing which I fear… or would wish unknown to the whole world.” Pregnancy Care Clinic believes women and men are smart, and should have the truth before they make a decision. Read our Commitment of Care. Abortion is not a simple procedure, it is certainly not a simple decision to make. Before seeking this choice, one should pause to consider who is providing abortions, and if they should be trusted.

1. Zagorski, S., & Ertelt, S. (2015, September 14). Woman Reportedly Dies After Botched Abortion at Family Planning Associates Clinic in San Diego. Life News.
2. (1980, October 12). San Diego Union.
3. Gropen, M. (2015, July 3). Who’s giving injections at Planned Parenthood?. San Diego Reader
4. Cal. Family Code § 6925
5. Planned Parenthood. (2014) 2013-2014 Annual Report – Our Health Our Decisions Our Moment. Retrieved from: http://issuu.com/actionfund/docs/annual_report_final_proof_12.16.14_/0
6. Daleiden, D. (2015, May 25). Human Capital. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
7. 42 U.S. Code 289G-2
8. Coalfire Systems, Inc. (2015) Digital Forensics Analysis Report. Retrieved from Alliance Defending Freedom Website: http://www.adfmedia.org/files/CoalfireCMPvideosReport.pdf
9. Leive, C. (2012, October 2). Election 2012: President Obama’s Interview with Glamour Magazine. Glamour
10. FDA Search for a Certified Facility. Retrieved (2015, September 2015) from FDA Webpage: http://www.fda.gov/radiation-emittingproducts/mammographyqualitystandardsactandprogram/consumerinformation/ucm113962.htm
11. Cecile Richards guest interview [Television series episode]. (2011, February 21). In Joy Behar Show.
12. Cecile Richards Testimony – US House of Representatives Investigation: House Oversight and Government Reform Committee (2015, September 29). C-Span 3