Planned Parenthood Federation of America is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization primarily concerned with voluntary family planning and reproductive health care. The federation, often called Planned Parenthood or PPFA, seeks to ensure that people have access to birth control and to medically safe and legal abortions. Every year, millions of people receive medical care or information from PPFA health centers in about 1,000 communities throughout the United States. PPFA is a member of the International Planned Parenthood Federation and supports family planning projects in many other countries. PPFA’s headquarters are in New York City.
Services.
PPFA health centers provide counseling and information on birth control and related health issues. They supply birth control devices and limited medical services. The centers promote early detection of cancers of the reproductive system, offer counseling and screening services for AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, and provide medical care for pregnant women. They also offer menopause counseling and related services. Some PPFA health centers perform abortions. The organization also provides infertility treatment for men and women and counseling on adoption procedures.
History.
Planned Parenthood traces its origins to 1916, when Margaret Sanger, an American nurse, opened the first birth control clinic in the United States. The clinic, in New York City, was closed under a state law that forbade the discussion of birth control. In 1921, Sanger founded the American Birth Control League to promote family planning. The league became the Planned Parenthood Federation of America in 1942. PPFA has challenged abortion laws around the nation, and its attorneys have argued many important cases in the state and federal courts, including the Supreme Court of the United States.
Many people support work done by Planned Parenthood. Corporations, foundations, and thousands of individuals contribute money annually. However, PPFA also faces opposition. Some groups criticize it for providing birth control information and services to adolescents. Some people object to PPFA’s support of abortion.
