What are crisis pregnancy centers? And why is Iowa trying to fund them? What to know:

Even before the first dollar has been sent out to pregnancy resource centers, Iowa lawmakers are considering expanding a program to fund the anti-abortion nonprofits across the state.

A proposal before the Iowa Legislature would fund another $1.5 million for the "More Options for Maternal Support" or MOMS program. The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services would contract with pregnancy resource centers or facilities that counsel women to choose alternatives to abortion.

Here's what we know about the program and the centers they would fund:

What do crisis pregnancy centers do?

Crisis pregnancy centers, also known as pregnancy resource centers, are usually religiously affiliated organizations that encourage women to keep their pregnancies or consider adoption. They typically offer free ultrasounds, counseling and physical items, such as diapers, baby clothes, car seats and cribs, without cost.

According to Iowa Right to Life, there are about 55 centers across the state.

What will Iowa's MOMS program do?

The MOMS program was established during last year's Legislature, which appropriated $500,000 to fund it. A program manager was hired in December, but no money has been distributed to centers, Iowa HHS spokesperson Sarah Ekstrand said.

The state plans to issue a request for proposals in July for a program administrator to oversee "a statewide network of subcontractors to provide pregnancy support services," according to a legislative brief provided to the Des Moines Register. Pregnancy support services are defined as "nonmedical services that promote childbirth."

The program administrator will begin administering the program in September 2023.

Sen. Chris Cournoyer, R-LeClaire, said the MOMS program is part of Republican lawmakers' priority to create wraparound support for women with unintended pregnancies. It includes reducing barriers to help prevent unwanted pregnancies, such as prescription-free birth control, she said.

"We need to make sure we've got tools in the toolbox, so doing our part to prevent unplanned pregnancies to begin with, but also supporting women that do find themselves in a crisis pregnancy so that they don't believe that abortion is the only option for them, because it truly is not," she said.

The bill to increase funding also directs the state health and human services agency to fund "fatherhood" programming directed at men involved with unintended pregnancies. That includes parenting classes and programs to help fathers find jobs or transition from incarceration.

Do crisis pregnancy centers support the MOMS program?

Center leaders say they support the funding but have questions before they would consider a contract with the state. They've voiced concerns about oversight attached to this funding.

“Oftentimes if you take government money, you have to follow government regulations," said Rita Baker, executive director of Pregnancy Center of Central Iowa in Newton. "We don’t take government money to avoid that situation.”

But Jeanne Wonio, a member of the board of directors for the Women's Choice Center in Bettendorf, said any additional support would be a major boost to help offer more services.

"I’m glad Gov. Reynolds and her team thought this was important enough to fund," Wonio said.

What do opponents dislike about crisis pregnancy centers?

Abortion-rights supporters and some top medical groups have denounced the facilities for posing as legitimate clinical settings — even though many are not licensed.

According to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists, it's a common tactic for centers to use emotional manipulation, including performing ultrasounds, to "shame pregnant people under the guise of informing."

Others say the centers mislead pregnant women by giving them false information to deter them from considering an abortion.

What are Iowa's current abortion laws?

Abortion is still legal in Iowa up to 20 weeks.

Reynolds has pursued stricter abortion bans through Iowa's court system. In December, an Iowa district court judge declined the governor's request to revive a 2018 state law that banned abortion after about six weeks of pregnancy, when the earliest cardiac activity is detected in an embryo.

Reynolds has pledged to continue pursuing stricter abortion bans.

Michaela Ramm covers health care for the Des Moines Register. She can be reached at mramm@registermedia.com, at (319) 339-7354 or on Twitter at @Michaela_Ramm.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Why Iowa wants to fund crisis pregnancy centers to deter abortions