In November 2025, a youth-focused organization offered abortion support doula training at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, targeting participants aged 14 to 24. The event, hosted by the Youth Abortion Support Collective (YouthASC) in collaboration with Dopo, sought to teach young people skills for assisting individuals before, during, and after an abortion.

The training described an abortion doula as someone who provides physical, emotional, and spiritual support during abortion procedures. Organizers promoted the program on Instagram, emphasizing youth-led advocacy and support networks for high school and college students, while also discussing ongoing community involvement.

The use of teenagers in these programs has drawn criticism. Critics argue that the abortion industry increasingly targets young people to normalize abortion and recruit future advocates. Reports have highlighted past efforts, including a children’s book created by abortion doulas working with Planned Parenthood and the Abortion Care Network to frame abortion as a routine pregnancy outcome.

Despite these outreach efforts, numerous Planned Parenthood locations closed in 2025 amid federal funding restrictions. According to the Guttmacher Institute, abortions in the United States rose slightly in 2025, with an estimated 1,126,000 procedures, including increased use of mail-order abortions in states with stricter pro-life laws.

The UNC Charlotte training reflects ongoing tensions over abortion access, youth involvement, and educational programs promoting reproductive support services to minors.