PPFA Patients: The Uncertain Future of Women's Health Care Services

Six years prior, Kas Howar of Dayton, Ohio, found themselves in a dire situation: broke, homeless, and recently pregnant. In desperate need of support, Howar sought help from a nonprofit that assured free, judgment-free medical services for unplanned pregnancies. Yet, the care from this crisis pregnancy center, often run by anti-abortion factions, proved unhelpful. Howar, who identifies as Black and nonbinary, felt a sense of manipulation, expressing, “I felt guilt-tripped” regarding their thoughts on abortion. In contrast, their experience at Planned Parenthood was dramatically different. Howar received respectful prenatal care and vital information tailored to their identity and circumstances. Alarmed by potential funding cuts to Planned Parenthood through President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” Howar advocates for equitable healthcare, emphasizing that many marginalized individuals, including one in three Black women, depend on such resources for their reproductive health. They highlight the urgent need for accessible healthcare and the detrimental effects these proposed reductions could impose on low-income communities.