Fake Clinics, Real Harm: The Deception of Crisis Pregnancy Centers with Catholics for Choice

Did you know that crisis pregnancy centers outnumber abortion clinics in the United States by a ratio of roughly 3 to 1 — and that most of them are under no obligation to tell you they aren’t licensed medical providers? In this episode of The Dr. Kristin Lyerly Show, I sit down with Kate Hoeting, Director of Education & Research at Catholics for Choice, to pull back the curtain on the crisis pregnancy center industry: how these centers pose as medical clinics, why vulnerable patients often don’t know the difference, and what the absence of HIPAA protections and informed consent requirements means for real people seeking care. We also dig into something that might surprise you: what Catholics for Choice actually stands for, why a majority of Catholics support reproductive freedom despite official Church teaching, and how faith can be a source of liberation rather than shame. I’ll be honest — I was raised Catholic myself. This conversation hit close to home. If you care about patient safety, reproductive freedom, or the role of faith in public life, this episode is for you. New episodes every Wednesday at noon. Follow Catholics for Choice catholicsforchoice.org/CPC Instagram: Catholic4choice Facebook: CatholicsForChoice Twitter: Catholic4Choice LinkedIn: catholics-for-choice 📬 Subscribe to my Substack: drkristinlyerly.substack.com 📸 Instagram: @drkristinlyerly 🧵 Threads: @drkristinlyerly 🎵 TikTok: @drkristinlyerly 🦋 Bluesky: @drkristin4wi.bsky.social 👍 Facebook: @drkristinlyerly 🐦 Twitter/X: @drkristinlyerly 💼 LinkedIn:@drkristinlyerly Dr. Kristin Lyerly is an OB-GYN based in northeast Wisconsin and a leading voice on healthcare, politics, and the issues shaping our collective future. As the named physician plaintiff in a landmark Wisconsin abortion decision, she brings a perspective to these conversations that goes beyond politics. New episodes drop every week. Subscribe to stay current on reproductive rights, health politics, all things Wisconsin, and everything else that matters.