BREAKING NEWS: Crisis Pregnancy Center Data Breach

Last week, the Campaign for Accountability urged Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill to investigate whether The Unexpected Pregnancy Center violated state law by failing to protect clients’ personal health information. According to a report by Rosemary Westwood for WWNO, the personal information of 13 clients was exposed in a training video for Heartbeat International’s “Next Level” software during the spring. This breach, initially reported by Abortion, Everyday in May, raises significant concerns.

The Unexpected Pregnancy Center is a crisis pregnancy center (CPC) affiliated with Heartbeat International. At least 14 other centers in Louisiana are linked to this organization and often mislead women and girls into believing their health information is legally protected — it is not. Unlike legitimate medical clinics, CPCs are not bound by the privacy laws that govern OBGYNs and reproductive health providers.

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Over the past two years, Louisiana legislators have significantly increased support for CPCs, boosting their funding from $1 million to $5 million and approving a $5 million tax credit set to take effect on January 1, 2025. This influx of taxpayer dollars supports non-medical, religious centers that claim to address gaps in reproductive and maternal healthcare.

The recent data breach underscores the urgent need for stricter regulation and oversight of crisis pregnancy centers. These centers frequently mislead and manipulate pregnant individuals while masquerading as legitimate medical providers. Unlike medical clinics, CPCs are not required to meet health and safety standards or protect client data privacy.

For more details on CPCs in Louisiana, visit Lift Louisiana’s Funding Lies report, which documents how millions of taxpayer dollars are funneled into these centers annually.