Planned Parenthood’s Annual Report Is Out. Here’s What You Need to Know.

Melanie Israel / @Melanie_Israel / January 23, 2019 / 75 Comments

Planned Parenthood performed more abortions in fiscal year 2017-2018 than the previous year, while most non-abortive services declined. (Photo: jetcityimage/Getty Images)

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Melanie Israel

@Melanie_Israel

Melanie Israel is a research associate for the DeVos Center for Religion & Civil Society at The Heritage Foundation.

Planned Parenthood quietly released its long-expected annual report covering 2017-2018 over the holiday weekend.

The document affirms the assertion of new President Leana Wen that providing and expanding access to abortion is the “core mission” of Planned Parenthood.

Planned Parenthood performed 332,757 abortions during the reported year, the most the abortion giant has reported since 2011-2012.

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In contrast, non-abortion services have declined significantly. Planned Parenthood reported a decrease in the provision of various services in 2017-2018, including:

570,444 breast exams and pap tests, down from 617,677 in 2016-2017.

614,361 cancer screenings and prevention procedures, down from 660,777 in 2016-2017.

216,722 well-woman exams, down from 235,355 in 2016-2017.

2,620,867 provisions of birth control information and services, down from 2,701,866 in 2016-2017.

2,831 adoption referrals, down from 3,889 in 2016-2017.

As these services decline, Planned Parenthood reports record-high numbers in national office and affiliate financial data for 2018.

Almost $1.9 billion in net assets, up from $1.6 billion in 2017.

$563.8 million in taxpayer funding, up from $543.7 million in 2017.

$1.67 billion in total revenue, up from $1.46 billion in 2017.

Almost $245 million in excess of revenue over expenses, more than double the $98.5 million reported in 2017.

$630.8 million in private contributions (including grants, individual contributors, bequests, and corporate contributors), up from $532.7 million in 2017.

Planned Parenthood reported the same number of patients (2.4 million) and clinical visits (4 million) in both 2016 and 2017.

It performed more than 117 abortions for every adoption referral in 2017-2018.

Wen vows that Planned Parenthood will “expand our reach, our services, and our impact.” This year’s annual report—and annual reports that have come before it—reveal that Planned Parenthood is interested in expanding some services more than others.

Abortion is, indeed, the core mission of Planned Parenthood, and taxpayers should not be forced to subsidize America’s abortion giant.

Meanwhile, fewer Americans are relying on Planned Parenthood for cancer screenings, well-woman exams, and contraception.

Instead of allowing more than half-a-billion taxpayer dollars to flow to Planned Parenthood each year, policymakers should direct those funds to the thousands of centers that provide health care to women without entangling services with abortion on demand.