New Pregnancy.gov Website Excludes Any Resource That Offers Abortion Counseling or Referrals

The newly proposed Pregnancy.gov Act aims to create a national online resource within one year, managed directly by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), designed to connect pregnant women and new mothers with local help. This website promises a centralized hub where users can enter their ZIP code and filter resources—like financial aid, housing, mentorship, and health services—by distance (from 1 to 100 miles) and availability. It’s meant to be the one-stop shop for finding support, and the Secretary must ensure the site is accessible to non-English speakers.

The Catch: Who Gets Listed, and Who Doesn't

While the idea of a centralized resource sounds helpful, the bill comes with a significant, non-negotiable restriction: no entity that performs, refers for, or counsels in favor of abortion—or financially supports any group that does—can be listed on Pregnancy.gov or receive any of the associated state grants. The bill defines this as a “prohibited entity.” This means that many established, comprehensive reproductive health providers, including those that offer a wide array of services like prenatal care, STD testing, and general women’s health checkups, would be explicitly barred from appearing on this government-run resource site simply because they also offer referrals or counseling related to abortion. For someone living in a rural area where the nearest clinic might be a comprehensive health center, this exclusion means the government’s official resource directory will be incomplete, potentially steering users away from their closest or most familiar provider.

Funding Shifts and Administrative Control

To help states gather and maintain lists of approved, non-prohibited resources, the bill sets up a grant program, allocating up to $50 million between fiscal years 2026 and 2030. Interestingly, this grant money is pulled from existing appropriations for programs like the State Personal Responsibility Education Program or Title X family planning funds. This is key: it means funds currently dedicated to broader sexual health education or family planning services could be diverted to support a new infrastructure focused solely on non-abortion-related resources. Furthermore, the bill mandates that the website must be managed at the very top—the Office of the Secretary—centralizing control over which resources are deemed acceptable for the national directory.

Opt-In Follow-Up: Sharing Your Data

One provision that stands out is the mechanism allowing users to take an assessment, agree to share their contact information, and let the Secretary follow up via phone or email about other helpful resources. While the bill requires the final report to Congress to exclude personal identifying information, this opt-in feature creates a direct line between the government and individuals seeking help. Given the strict ideological filtering of the site, this mechanism could be used for targeted outreach, promoting only the specific types of resources the bill defines as “relevant” (like adoption, mentorship, or recovery services), while potentially bypassing comprehensive medical advice. It’s a reminder that when you use a government service, you need to read the fine print on how your contact information might be used.