Office of Primary Care and Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Program

Lauren MacAfee, M.D., associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences

(JULY 27, 2022) Lauren MacAfee, M.D., associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences, commented on “blatant misinformation” dispensed at certain innocuously labeled “pregnancy resource centers” in Vermont that may depict themselves as medical centers — but in fact they rely on Christian-based messaging and support from larger pro-life organizations to further their mission of serving as an under-the-radar arm of the anti-abortion movement, combining internet savvy with ambiguous pitches and sometimes misleading or outdated information about the perils of abortion, according to an article in Seven Days.

Upon reviewing parts of a pamphlet distributed at one such center, MacAfee said the abortion risks it describes have been debunked by recent studies, while the information about prenatal testing is based on data more than 35 years old. “Our society already struggles with low health literacy and understanding of reproductive [and] sexual health, and these kinds of pamphlets make it even harder for patients to know who [or] what to trust,” she said.