Students at Berkeley High School are at an important part of their lives where they make many big decisions. Where they are going to college, whether or not they will get their driver’s license, and the possibility of getting a job are some of the main examples. These choices can impact students’ lives for years to come. Some teens also have to make choices regarding the prospect of motherhood. Being able to choose whether or not a woman gives birth to a child has long been a heated issue in the United States. In the past 60 years, there have been 17 Supreme Court cases in regards to this matter. Instead of making laws to hinder abortion and women’s healthcare, President Donald Trump has restricted funding that sponsors one of the key organizations that provides these services. What have been and will be the effects of the lack of funding for Planned Parenthood?
After establishing its first birth control clinic in 1916, Planned Parenthood grew to become the largest women’s health organization in the United States. When many people think of Planned Parenthood, the first thing that comes to mind is abortion. With over 600 clinics nationwide, many cities have populations that rely on the healthcare provider for many other services. These include contraception alongside breast, gynecological, and testicular cancer treatments. Some clinics offer gender affirming care. Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill defunded organizations such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Women, Infants, and Children program (WIC), Medicaid, Title X, and federal student loans and grants. Planned Parenthood does not receive money directly from the federal government, but instead as reimbursements from Medicaid and Title X, which provides grants for family planning and similar services.
Because of Trump’s new bill, citizens who rely on Medicaid insurance must pay in full to access resources provided by Planned Parenthood. The average cost of a medicated abortion at a Planned Parenthood clinic is $580. If someone working minimum wage needs an abortion, they can no longer receive one without making a substantial financial sacrifice. This is how the Big Beautiful Bill effectively bars low income patients from any services they were previously receiving.
Governor Gavin Newsom funded California Planned Parenthood clinics with $140 million in Sept. 2025. Although this is substantial, it’s less than half of the $300 million they were previously receiving. As a result, over 50 of their 600 clinics have closed, with five of these health centers located in the Mar Monte branch, which includes the Bay Area. Berkeley can often serve as a liberal bubble to the residents here, causing us to think of these places as permanent. However, in the current political climate it’s paramount to understand the vulnerable position Planned Parenthood is in. As those who still have access to these vital services, we can’t take them for granted.