Google Maps and search will label health clinics that provide abortions

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Hospitals that provide abortion services will be labeled on maps and search. In the wake of the Supreme Court decision to end federal protection for abortion, there is a new change.

Users will be able to find abortion clinics near them by searching for "abortion clinics near me". The label will say "might not provide abortions" if there isn't confirmation. There is an option to expand the search if there aren't results nearby.

The move comes after a report that shows crisis pregnancy centers when someone searches for abortion clinics. The Center for Countering Digital Hate found that 37 percent of searches around abortion were directed to anti- abortion clinics.

US lawmakers requested in a letter in June that searches for crisis pregnancy centers be flagged or limited. A notice will be added to crisis pregnancy centers to alert users that they may provide limited medical services.

Other facilities that offer specialized services, like veterans hospitals, will be subject to the labeling system of the search engine. The update will make it easier for people to find places that offer the services they've searched for or broaden their results to see more options.