PRO-CHOICE GROUP TARGETS PREGNANCY CENTERS

By [Dan Rivoli] In a recent report on the city"s â??crisis pregnancy centers, NARAL New York, a pro-choice group, listed two that it found on the East Side. The report discovered instances of these centers representing themselves as abortion providers. In other similar centers that promote counseling services, misinformation about abortions is disseminated, according to the report. The goal is to deter women from going through with the procedure, the report says. In a staunchly pro-choice city such as New York, NARAL listed 16 centers here that the group investigated. On the East Side, NARAL identified Sisters of Life, 320 E. 66th St. between First and Second avenues, and Maternity Birthcare Services, on First Avenue and East 56th Street. Sisters of Life, an organization started by New York Archbishop John Cardinal O"Connor, clearly has a religious affiliation. Maternity Birthcare Services, while having an innocuous name, has the same address as the Archdiocese of New York. A spokesperson for the Archdiocese Jacqueline Lofaro, however, was unaware of any pregnancy centers in the office building. In response to the report, Council Member Jessica Lappin and Speaker Christine Quinn announced a bill that would force the centers to disclose that they do not provide abortions, contraceptives or referrals. These centers would have to put signs at entrances and in waiting rooms. â??My bill would require that these centers tell women they are not medically licensed, often do not have doctors present, and don"t treat the information they receive as confidential, Lappin said in a statement.