Crisis pregnancy centers advertise ectopic pregnancy screening that medical experts say a single ultrasound cannot provide

A watchdog organization, Campaign for Accountability, formally asked the New York attorney general this week to investigate whether crisis pregnancy centers in that state are making false medical claims about ectopic pregnancy screening. The request follows a review of roughly 2,500 crisis pregnancy centers — a figure drawn from a 2024 Government Accountability Office estimate cited by NPR — that found 100 examples in 49 states of centers advertising that their services can "rule out" ectopic pregnancies.

Ectopic pregnancy occurs when an embryo implants outside the uterus. If implantation is in a fallopian tube, the tube can rupture and the condition can be life threatening. The proper diagnosis requires multiple blood tests and multiple ultrasounds over time — a level of ongoing medical care that crisis pregnancy centers are generally not equipped to provide, according to NPR's reporting.

The MyChoice Pregnancy Care Center in New York's Hudson Valley, cited specifically by NPR, carries website language stating: "It's important to rule out an ectopic pregnancy or a natural miscarriage and find out how far along you are via limited ultrasound." Another line on the same site advises patients planning to take abortion medication to "book an ultrasound to rule out an ectopic pregnancy."