Antiabortion activist abruptly steps down as head of HHS’s family planning division

Teresa Manning — an antiabortion activist in charge of the Health and Human Services Department’s family planning programs — resigned her post Friday, according to a department spokeswoman.

Manning, who serves as deputy assistant secretary for the Office of Population Affairs, has devoted much of her career to fighting abortion and has publicly questioned the efficacy of several popular contraception methods. Her job includes overseeing the Title X program, which provides family-planning funding for poor Americans or those without health insurance.

In an email Friday evening, HHS spokeswoman Caitlin Oakley confirmed Manning’s resignation, but did not provide a reason for her abrupt departure.

“HHS would like to thank her for her service to this Administration and the American people,” Oakley said...