Pregnancy centers provide real care and hope for women
By Brittany Smith
On Thursday, President Joe Biden issued a series of executive orders and policy changes on abortion — noting that through these initiatives he was focusing on healthcare.
On this so-called “healthcare day” he reversed The Mexico City Policy which prohibits federal funding for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that “perform or actively promote abortion as a method of family planning.”
The reversal was a move that pro-life groups have been preparing for, but are dismayed by, nonetheless. Yet, even during an administration that is hostile to life, there is hope. That’s because, for the more than 2,500 pregnancy resource centers (PRCs) around the nation, every day is “healthcare day.”
“PRCs care for women daily in their communities,” said Diane Ferraro, CEO of Save the Storks. “They provide ultrasounds, STI testing, pregnancy tests and medical referrals all at no cost because they are committed to the health and wellbeing of both the mom and the baby.”
But that’s not all they provide. In addition to healthcare options, many PRCs also offer parenting classes, post-abortive counseling, financial and medical referrals, housing options and material resources like formula and diapers. That’s because they understand that to truly reach abortion-vulnerable women they must provide her with individualized care and options.
“Women who are considering abortion often do so because they ’ve been told they don’t have any real options,” Denise Harle, senior counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom, told Christianity Today. “Pregnancy centers provide real hope and practical support to women who often feel they have neither.”
Pregnancy Center Healthcare Grows
In fact, the PRC movement has made huge strides over the past 10 years. According to the pro-choice research group The Guttmacher Institute, there are 808 abortion clinics in the United States. This is compared to the more than 2,500 pregnancy resource centers (PRCs). Even during a time when policies that promote abortion are growing, PRCs are expanding and changing with the times.
Recently, Save the Storks launched a new initiative called the Partner Program to further this trend. The organization works with individual pregnancy centers to create a comprehensive action plan to bolster the PRCs efforts. This support plan ranges anywhere from redesigning the interior of the building, helping them become a medical clinic, launching a mobile medical unit or redesigning its website to reach more women in the community.
“The PRC network is truly the strongest grassroots movement we have to change hearts and minds on abortion across our nation,” Ferraro notes. “These clinics are at the forefront of the pro-life movement and we can think of no better way to reach women than by supporting these amazing organizations.”
