When Planned Parenthood was in trouble, Twitter came to its rescue.

Cecile Richards, the group's president, said that as conservatives have turned up their criticism of the organization and targeted its funding, Twitter, blogs and other social media have been critical in mounting the group's defense.

Speaking to a gathering of liberal political activists in Providence, R.I., last night, Richards said congressional efforts to end funding for Planned Parenthood and end a requirement that health insurance provide birth control coverage meant that "for most women, it feels like we just woke up into a bad episode of Mad Men."

Planned Parenthood turned to mobilizing support online and used tools including Twitter and Facebook "to completely reshape our movement," Richards said.

When the Susan G. Komen breast cancer charity announced it would break off a partnership with Planned Parenthood, "Twitter exploded," racking up 1.3 million angry tweets in four days, Richards said. "My favorite was, 'Will Planned Parenthood please give Twitter back?'" Komen ultimately relented.

Similarly, when Congress held hearings on whether employers could claim a religious exemption to providing contraceptive coverage for employees, it was a tweeted photo, showing the all-male panel that testified, that caused a wave of support for Planned Parenthood. "Every woman in America knew that the Republican leadership was asking five men why women didn't need birth control. … That is the power of social media."