By Caroline Roberts, Strategic Communications Writer at Alliance Defending Freedom

Tina was 35 when she found out she was pregnant. She was working full-time and happily married, but she feared how her employer would respond to the news. So, she decided to get an abortion. But as soon as she started the chemical abortion process, she was filled with regret. She wanted another option, another opportunity to choose life.

“I hated what I had done. I stayed up all night worrying that I made the wrong choice,” she writes. “I started praying. The next morning I frantically looked online to see if I had any options to save my baby. I found the abortion pill reversal website and called the hotline.”

Thankfully, Tina was connected with a clinic who was able to administer progesterone in an attempt to stop the abortive process—and it worked.

“After receiving progesterone for a week, I came back for an ultrasound to see if the baby survived. He did. He was alive and well. He was saved… Without the option of the abortion pill reversal, he would not be here today.”

Tina’s story is a hopeful one. Because she sought out more information about all her options, she was able to choose life for her son. And she isn’t alone. Statistics show 1,000 women have successfully chosen to stop their chemical abortions, saving their pregnancies. But what would have happened if Tina hadn’t found the hotline? What if she had been unable to learn about additional options? Tina deserved to know from the start that abortion pill reversal was possible.

Women have the right to be fully informed about their medical procedures. They should have complete disclosure of the process, the risks, and what’s at stake—especially when it’s a life.

Thankfully, the state of North Dakota agrees.

North Dakota has a crucial informed-consent law that ensures women who are considering abortion know two accurate, relevant things:

1. That choosing abortion ends “the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being.”
2. That if the woman chooses, a chemical abortion may be stopped early in the process with the aid of Abortion Pill Reversal.

When women are given this information, they have a better understanding of the procedure and all their options. It’s their right to know.

But the American Medical Association (AMA) wants to keep women in the dark. It doesn’t want women to know that abortion takes a life or that they might have a second chance at choosing life for their babies if a chemical abortion is treated quickly.

In fact, the AMA so desperately doesn’t want women to have this information that it’s taking North Dakota to court. In June 2019, the AMA filed a lawsuit challenging North Dakota’s informed-consent statute and trying to strike down these two provisions that give women critical medical information. AMA—which has been hijacked by pro-abortion interests--doesn’t want women to have all the scientific facts.

The AMA claims that requiring doctors to inform women of all their options surrounding an abortion violates the free speech rights of medical professionals. Apparently, the AMA doesn’t understand informed consent.

That’s why Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) client, Heartbeat International, intervened in this case to support North Dakota’s statute—and the right of women everywhere to make decisions with all the facts.

“Every woman deserves to know the whole truth about abortion, and that includes the facts about her child and the choices she can make every step of the way,” ADF Legal Counsel Denise Harle said. “The American Medical Association, which ought to support providing patients with as much information as possible, instead wants to keep vulnerable women in the dark about vital information about fetal development and their pregnancy options prior to an abortion. Women deserve to know the truth.”

How many women like Tina would jump at the chance to reverse the effects of their chemical abortions if given the option? And how many more women like Tina have wanted to make that choice in the past—but didn’t know they had it?

“I am thankful I found the information readily available online and for the caring nurse who talked to me and to the doctor,” Tina recalls. “She is my son’s angel. Thank you for giving us a second chance.”

The bottom line is that women have the right to know all the details and options available to them during any medical procedure. Why should abortions be any different?

This article originally appeared on adflegal.org.

>> Learn more about the Abortion Pill Rescue Network and how it is saving lives!

Heartbeat International’s leadership and staff have checked in on our affiliate network, both to offer these vital partners help through our H.A.L.O. fund—which meets Heartbeat-affiliated organizations damaged by natural disasters with needed funds to replace training materials—and to let you know how you can be supporting these friends in prayer.

If you would like to contribute to Heartbeat International’s H.A.L.O. fund, you can do so at www.HeartbeatServices.org/fund-halo. You can also give directly to the pregnancy help organizations below by starting a fundraiser page at www.YouSaveBabies.org.

Crossroads Pregnancy Resource Center – Thibodaux, Louisiana

Though Crossroads’ location was not damaged in the floods, the daughter of Executive Director Michele Beary was in the middle of moving into her college residence at Louisiana State in Baton Rouge when the storm hit. Her car was lost in the flood, but she was unharmed.

“The scope of the disaster is unreal and heartbreaking,” Michele, who formerly lived in Ascension Parish—which was badly damaged in the storm—tells us. “Please let everyone know how much their prayers for us are appreciated. God bless.”

The Women’s Help Center – Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Barbara Thomas, founder of the Family Values Resource Institute, which runs The Women’s Help Center, tells us one of her team members has sustained damage to their home over the past week.

Pregnancy Help Center – Slidell, Louisiana

Thankfully, this center was unaffected by the storms. When Heartbeat International called to check in on these friends, they were in the process of deciding how they could actively support any life-saving that was affected by the disaster.

Women’s Life Ministries Pregnancy Center – Amite, Louisiana

Though spared from major flooding damage, this outreach reports having lost some of their office equipment in a lightning strike. Because the center is located in a high place, it is fast becoming a key location for flood relief in the community. CEO Teresa Ragusa tells us her organization is busy receiving supplies to help distribute to clients and neighbors.

Iberia Pregnancy Center – New Iberia, Louisiana

Iberia Pregnancy Center’s staff reports that, though their street was flooded and flood waters came almost up to their doors, the center itself was untouched. Praise God for this wonderful protection, and please pray for clients and neighbors who have lost homes and property.

The following pregnancy help locations were also undamaged by the flood, though leaders at the centers did ask us to pray for their clients:

Hope Restored for Life (Houma, Louisiana), Community Center for Life (Gretna, Louisiana), Women's New Life Center (Metairie and Baton Rouge, Louisiana), Northlake Crisis Pregnancy Center (Covington, Louisiana)

If you would like to contribute to Heartbeat International’s H.A.L.O. fund, you can do so at www.HeartbeatServices.org/fund-halo. You can also give directly to the pregnancy help organizations below by starting a fundraiser page at www.YouSaveBabies.org.

UPDATE: Care Pregnancy Clinic in Baton Rouge Reports Severe Damage

Dorothy Wallis, president and CEO of Caring to Love Ministries—which runs an unaffiliated pregnancy help center, reports having sustained an estimated $425,000 in damages to its building.

Although the rebuilding effort will take several months at the absolute minimum, Dorothy tells us a local abortion clinic was unaffected by the flood and Care Pregnancy Clinic continues to receive calls from abortion-vulnerable women.

Knowing the opportunism of the abortion industry that offered free morning-after pills in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and free abortions to New Yorkers in the days following the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, Dorothy knows there is no time to lose in reaching women with life-saving help.

Dorothy is asking for an RV (loan or donation) her organization can to set up as a mobile ultrasound unit as soon as possible.

To find out how you can help Dorothy and Care Pregnancy Clinic, click here.

Do you know of more pregnancy help organizations affected by the recent floods? Let us know at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 It has come to our attention that an unknown third party committee is actively using Heartbeat International’s name and identity to solicit funds in a national campaign. 

In order to safeguard your security, we want to make it clear to you that Heartbeat International does not authorize or utilize third party fundraising entities in any way.

If you would like to make a donation to Heartbeat International, please visit: www.HeartbeatInternational.org/Donate.

Thank you for all you do to support our vital ministry, which is saving a baby from the violence of abortion every 4 minutes in the U.S. alone.

"A lie told often enough becomes the truth."
-Vladimir Lenin, architect of the Soviet Union

If there's one thing Big Abortion loves to do, it's spread lies about pregnancy help centers. Most of these falsehoods are simply restatements of the same lies trumped up several years ago, repackaged, microwaved, and dished up as a new piece of "investigative journalism," which is neither investigative nor journalistic in nature.

Watching the zombie-like existence of these lies, there are at least five lies spread about pregnancy help organizations (PHOs)—or CPCs, the outdated moniker favored by our opponents—we wish were true.

1. "CPCs are often located near clinics that provide abortion services."

To be fair, it is true that some PHOs are located near abortion clinics. But, with around 2,500 pregnancy centers in the U.S. compared to only about 600 abortion clinics, it's getting harder and harder for a PHC to locate itself near an abortion clinic. Still, we estimate that about half of U.S. abortion clinics have no PHC located next or even near to them. If it were true that every abortion clinic had a PHO next door, women facing with unexpected or difficult pregnancies would have more options than just abortion.

The funny thing is, any time this "charge" is made by an abortion apologist, it's as if they expect the reader or audience to shudder in dismay at this "deceptive" practice. To avoid future misunderstanding, let's make it clear: We are indeed going after the same woman as the abortion industry. The only difference lies in what we offer and why.

Motivated by compassion for the mother and her child, a PHO offers life-affirming help and accurate information to help a mother make the best decision she can, most often covering her cost entirely. Motivated by profit, an abortion facility offers to take one life, while endangering another, all for financial gain.

2. "CPCs Say Abortion is Dangerous."

A Sept. 2014 article at RH Reality Check included the following charge:

Extensive dissemination of scientifically inaccurate information was reported by undercover investigators. Common misinformation provided by CPC volunteers included claims that abortion is a dangerous procedure, that abortion causes breast cancer, and that abortion causes emotional and psychological trauma.

This is probably the most repeated lie about PHOs. It's based on the presuppositions that abortion isn't a dangerous procedure, abortions don't have anything to do with breast cancer, and those who've had abortion never experience emotional or psychological trauma.

While abortion would still be a problem, we wish abortions didn't kill or harm women who sought them, (Kermit Gosnell anyone?) expose them to greater risk of breast cancer, or often result in deep regret and mental anguish. Denying this truths and repeating that PHOs are lying about them is truly insulting to the millions of women—and men—who have firsthand knowledge of the truth. Furthermore, it prevents those who would otherwise be warned from dealing with the truly dangerous reality of abortion.

3. "CPCs are facilities that exist to prevent people facing unintended pregnancies from accessing abortion services."

If only. PHOs can't "prevent people... from accessing abortion," nor do we try. Sadly, abortion is a legal right—still until birth in many states—and fully accessible to those who can pay for them. As those who know all too well the realities of abortion (many within the pregnancy help community know from firsthand experience), we wish we could prevent others from experiencing the heartache, danger, or long-term impact that follows such a permanent decision.

But, since our convictions are colored by our compassion, PHOs take the time with each woman to create an environment where she can see all of her options, including parenting, making an adoption plan, and, even, abortion. An informed decision is the best decision. We firmly believe that the healthiest decision for all involved is a life-affirming one.

4. "CPCs hide that they're almost entirely funded by national anti-choice umbrella organizations..."

If PHOs are hiding this, they're doing a much better job of it than abortion zealots could ever dream. That's because they must be hiding it from us—Heartbeat International, Care-Net, NIFLA, and everyone else representing their life-giving work.

Fact is, the overwhelming majority of funding for PHOs comes from individuals who value life-affirming outreach. The community members know well that the government does very little (if anything) to champion the life of its smallest citizens, or respond generously to help lives and lifetimes we will probably never know or see (this side of heaven).

And this generosity doesn't just pour in, but requires diligent fundraising efforts to ensure missional budgets are fulfilled. Wouldn't it be so much easier if, as the report states, PHOs were "entirely funded by" an umbrella organization? As an alleged "umbrella organization" ourselves, we wish we had the type of resources to be able to do just that!

5. "There are more than 4,000 CPCs across the country."

But who's counting? Well, we are. Heartbeat International's Worldwide Directory of Pregnancy Help is the most comprehensive list of pregnancy help organizations anywhere. We count just shy of 2,500 pregnancy help organizations in the U.S., and closer to 2,800 if you add the pregnancy support focused Birthright centers as well.

Of course, we wish there were another 1,000+ places for women and men to access compassionate care and meaningful services to ensure that every woman felt loved and supported during her pregnancy.

In fact, maybe that's not a bad five-year goal...

by Jor-El Godsey, Vice President, Heartbeat International
Nov. 7, 2014