Single and married women who consider abortion often feel pressured by family members, partners, or their life circumstances. However, thanks to PreBorn! Network Clinics, many find resources, such as free ultrasounds and other medical services, in-house programs, and the love and grace of Christ, empowering them to choose life for their baby and eternal life for themselves.
A PreBorn! Network Clinic in Florida met with Dominique, who was upset and fearful about being unexpectedly pregnant. She had suffered from preeclampsia at 29 weeks during a previous pregnancy, which led to an early delivery. Sadly, the baby lived only two days. A few days before she came to the Clinic, she was feeling very sick and went to the hospital, where she learned she was pregnant. Dominique shared with the Clinic staff that she immediately set her mind on having an abortion to avoid going through the painful experience again. She said she had been abusing alcohol, not knowing she was pregnant, and felt depressed.
During her appointment, Dominique told her client advocate she believed in God and Jesus, and she was willing to turn her life back over to the Lord. Upon viewing her preborn baby at 21 weeks on the ultrasound, she changed her mind about abortion and chose life! She told the Clinic staff, “I never thought that just seeing my baby in the ultrasound TV could have changed my mind. I can’t now go ahead and have an abortion when I already met my child.”
A Similar Situation
A similar situation happened at a PreBorn! Network Clinic in Maryland.
Debbi visited the Clinic looking for more information about abortion. She shared that she was not ready to have another child, already the mother of a one-year-old. She said her job was insecure and that her three-year-long relationship with the baby’s father had recently ended. He knew about the potential new pregnancy, and Debbi said he seemed conflicted yet supportive of whatever decision she made regarding the pregnancy.
Debbi met with a client advocate to talk about her options and inquired about the abortion pill, saying she felt guilty about considering abortion because she was a Christian. However, her situation left her in a difficult position. The advocate offered support and spent time praying with the young woman.
An ultrasound was offered and accepted. Debbi asked questions about the ultrasound: “That is a baby, right? Does it look healthy?” As she viewed the ultrasound, she was suddenly concerned about the baby. She accepted ultrasound pictures “with hesitation,” according to the nurse, and left the Clinic without a clear idea of what she wanted to do with her pregnancy.
Debbi accepted an invitation for a follow-up visit, and upon her return, Clinic staff encountered a different Debbi. Much had changed. She had talked with the father of the baby and shared the ultrasound pictures with him. He gave her his full support to raise their baby. Debbi contacted an OB doctor and set up her first appointment for prenatal care. She told the Clinic staff she was “happy and ready to move forward with the pregnancy.” She signed up for parenting classes at the Clinic, which will continue to grow her confidence and provide resources for the mother-to-be.
Women Choose Abortion Because They Lack Support
According to statistics, nearly 19 million children, or one in four, live in single-parent households in the United States, with the majority living with their mothers. Single-parent families headed by mothers in the US are five times more likely to live in poverty than two-parent families, and though the vast majority of single mothers work, they often do not have the education or work experience needed to hold higher salary jobs. Support from fathers and family members is crucial, both financially and emotionally.
A PreBorn! Network Clinic in Arkansas has seen that a supportive partner can make a significant difference for a woman experiencing an unplanned pregnancy.
Bethany contacted the Clinic, and the staff described her as “nervous and anxious” about the possibility of being pregnant. She stated that she was unsure about how she feels about parenting and might consider adoption. She had taken a home pregnancy test that came back positive, but she was still in disbelief.
Her boyfriend came into the Clinic with her, and the staff said that he seemed very supportive, mentioning he wanted to parent. Bethany was too early to receive an ultrasound, so a follow-up appointment was set. Even though she was not a believer, Bethany was comfortable listening to her client advocate share the gospel. She was also provided with information on all pregnancy options.
A few weeks later, Bethany returned for an ultrasound. She watched as her preborn baby moved around and heard the heartbeat. She and her boyfriend decided to parent. The client advocate once again shared the gospel with the young woman, reminded her that God is always with her, and encouraged her to know Him personally.
Thankfully, Bethany was surrounded by the support she needed to choose life, as not all women are as fortunate. Nearly 60 percent of women who had abortions experienced pressure to do so.
Sometimes that pressure meets a wall of resistance through emotional and tangible support. That support can be found in unexpected places and with unexpected people.
Jasmine, a young woman in her mid-teens, visited a Florida PreBorn! Network Clinic. She was from an unstable family with absent parents. Finding herself without a car or a job, she began living in a room at her boyfriend’s mother’s house; however, that also proved to be an unstable and unsustainable arrangement. The teenager was, in essence, homeless.
She lacked support to continue her pregnancy. When she told her boyfriend she might be pregnant, he vehemently insisted she obtain an abortion. She caved to the pressure, as he threatened to kick her out of his mother’s house if she didn’t get an abortion. Jasmine tried to find an appointment at the local abortion clinic, but the facility was busy —even the clinic’s voicemail box was full. Instead, she went to a PreBorn! Network Clinic that could see her immediately. The client advocate reviewed abortion information with Jasmine and also went over her other pregnancy options.
Jasmine shared with her advocate that she really didn’t want to have an abortion but that she felt extreme pressure from the father of her baby and that she was scared because she had no car, no job, and no other place to live. Her Advocate provided hope and help for the teenager’s physical and spiritual needs. The father of the baby came with Jasmine to that appointment and met with a male advocate at the Clinic. However, he was not interested in discussing options and said he was “confident with the decision to terminate the pregnancy.”
The medical team spent time with Jasmine, confirming her pregnancy with ultrasound and providing other medical support. After her initial visit—where she learned she was about 10 weeks along—she left undecided about what to do regarding the pregnancy.
During a follow-up by Clinic staff, Jasmine expressed her excitement that she was able to parent because of her boyfriend’s mother, who expressed her support and willingness to help the young woman. She joined the Clinic’s parenting and life skills program through which she learned about prenatal care, infant care, parenting and discipline, finances, and more while being encouraged in her spiritual walk.
The Heart of Texas PreBorn! Network Clinics
Although the State of Texas passed a six-week Heartbeat Bill, which, in essence, bans abortion after that week of pregnancy, women seek abortions in surrounding states, such as New Mexico. However, PreBorn! Network Clinics remain vital in Texas, ministering to women considering traveling out of state for abortions.
Antonia walked into a Texas PreBorn! Network Clinic in what the staff termed “a vulnerable state.” Suffering from depression, she described being anxious about the current state of the world, not wanting to bring a baby into it. Antonia and the father of the baby were in conflict, and she didn’t see a future with him.
Antonia claimed to be a Christian and appeared well-versed in Scripture. Her Advocate shared the gospel with her, and afterward, the young woman stated she still felt termination of the pregnancy might be the best decision, claiming she would deal with the potential repercussions. She stood firm her belief that abortion was a decision every woman had a right to make for herself.
She agreed to an ultrasound and witnessed her 12-week-old preborn baby on the monitor. During that time, Antonia told her medical technician that she was still not sure what she would do with this pregnancy. Choosing life for her preborn baby was a brave step for this young woman, and she chose to give up her baby for adoption.
Jamie made an appointment at a Dallas, Texas, PreBorn! Network Clinic, fully aware of the state’s Heartbeat Law. She had researched the possibility of going out-of-state for an abortion and seriously considered that option as a mother of four, with her youngest being just a year old. She told her Advocate she didn’t want to be pregnant again and was working and going back to school to advance herself in the medical field. She and the father of the baby had known each other for only six months, and she wasn’t sure about a future with him.
The Clinic staff educated Jamie on abortion procedures and other pregnancy options. Her Advocate shared the gospel with her and told her more about the love of Christ for her and her baby. The ultrasound revealed that she was already about 20 weeks along. From the moment she saw her baby and heard the heartbeat, Jamie said she knew abortion was no longer an option.
The nurse offered the young woman a repeat visit, and when she came back, Jamie was “in much happier spirits,” according to Clinic staff. She used Facetime to show her children and the father of the baby the ultrasound. Excitement grew, and before leaving the Clinic, Jamie received information on multiple resources and a Bible.
Choosing Life in a Pro-Abortion State
Just as there are states with abortion limits like Texas, there are also states that put no limits on abortion, such as California, New York, and Illinois. These places also need pro-life Pregnancy Clinics to help women find hope and support as they face unexpected pregnancies.
In Fontana, California, such a place exists. Twenty-four-year-old Dolly made an appointment with a PreBorn! Network Clinic to confirm her pregnancy. Even though she had the support of her boyfriend and her parents, she still experienced fear regarding her unplanned pregnancy, and, according to Clinic staff, the young woman “was abortion-minded.”
Dolly had an abortion three years prior, and she was seriously considering it. Her client advocate asked her how she felt about the previous abortion, and Dolly said she “still thinks about it all the time.”
The client advocate encouraged Dolly to watch a video titled Abortion Explained. After viewing it, Dolly told her Advocate she changed her mind about having another abortion and wanted to carry her baby to term and parent the child.
The young woman also had the opportunity to see her preborn baby via ultrasound, and she was given pictures to take home to share with her boyfriend and family. Clinic staff followed up with Dolly after her initial visit and learned she has planned to parent her baby and made an appointment with her own doctor for prenatal care.
Despite the suppression by some state governments and technology companies, women who regret taking the first abortion pill find hope through Abortion Pill Reversal (APR). Several PreBorn! Network Clinics provide this service, including facilities in California. Kristy is a mother today thanks to a PreBorn! Network Clinic providing the APR progesterone procedure.
Kristy was not ready to have a baby. She had recently given birth to a baby girl and was not ready to go through another pregnancy so soon. Afraid of the stress and the judgment from friends and family members, especially her parents, she took the first abortion pill to “take care of the problem.” Immediately, she felt “sick with regret” and wanted to undo her decision. She researched online and called the APR hotline. Kristy connected with a nurse who was able to start her on progesterone right away.
During her appointment at the Clinic, the young woman shared that she was raised in the church but had strayed from her faith in Jesus. She willingly re-dedicated her life to Christ and prayed with the client advocate for her baby.
Kristy returned for a follow-up appointment and an ultrasound to see if the pregnancy was still viable. Kristy saw her preborn baby on the screen and began to cry. The heartbeat of her baby was strong. “She was overwhelmed with joy to see that the baby she had tried ‘to take care of’ truly was being taken care of by the hand of God,” according to the staff. After a time of prayer and more encouragement, Kristy left with baby items and joy in her heart. Several months later, she gave birth to a healthy baby and told the Clinic staff she attends church regularly.
The abortion rate in Illinois has skyrocketed during the past few years, mostly due to a significant increase in the number of abortions performed on out-of-state women.
A PreBorn! Network Clinic located in a suburb of Chicago stands amid the horror of abortion, helping women find the courage to choose life for their preborn children despite difficult circumstances.
Tonya was a 17-year-old high school senior who discovered she was pregnant via a home pregnancy test. When she told the father of the baby her suspicions, the young man said he “didn’t want to have anything to do with the baby” and moved out of state. Tonya had also lost both of her parents when she was seven. Although adopted by a family member, Tonya told her client advocate she wasn’t close to her adoptive parents and was afraid to tell them about her pregnancy because they might kick her out of the house.
The Clinic’s Advocate presented Options Counseling and encouraged Tonya to share her pregnancy news with her adoptive parents when she felt the time was right. The Advocate also provided the teenager with information on maternity homes if the need arose.
The young woman shared she worked part-time at a fast-food restaurant and that she had informed her direct supervisor about her pregnancy. That person “purposefully required” the teen to do heavy lifting. The Clinic’s nurse manager advised Tonya to speak with her supervisor and let that person know she was in the process of getting a letter from the Clinic with activity limitations and that in the meantime avoid doing any heavy lifting that would put her pregnancy at risk. The nurse manager also advised Tonya that if her request to avoid heavy lifting was not granted, she should go up the chain of command for help.
The initial ultrasound detected a preborn baby at nine weeks and four days with a strong heartbeat. Tonya appeared relieved and she watched her baby stretch and wriggle. She also appeared surprised to see her baby so developed at this stage.
Tonya returned for a re-scan and brought a female friend. Tonya reported she had informed her adoptive parents about her pregnancy, and even though they weren’t happy about the news, they allowed her to remain in their home and use their health insurance. Tonya also stated that, after talking to her supervisor’s supervisor, she was no longer required to do heavy lifting at her job.
The scan showed a preborn baby measuring 11 weeks, still with a healthy, strong heartbeat. Tonya appeared more relaxed and happier, and she smiled and laughed during her ultrasound appointment and thankfully shared that she planned to carry her baby to term.
Abortion in Virginia remains legal until nearly 28 weeks of pregnancy.
Alyssa, a mother of two toddlers, wanted to know how far along she was in her third pregnancy. She was concerned for many reasons, including the fact she and her boyfriend had been in “vacation mode” and were partying a lot before she knew she was pregnant.
She was seriously considering abortion but was also afraid of that option. Two years prior, she underwent a chemical abortion with no follow-up. A few weeks later, “something didn’t feel quite right,” she said, and she went back to the abortion clinic. An ultrasound revealed that the baby had survived the abortion attempt. The doctor performed a surgical abortion because, according to him, “the baby would be very deformed and this is the only solution.” For the young woman, it was a very traumatic experience, and she did not want to go through it again. However, she told her advocate at the PreBorn! Network Clinic that she and her boyfriend were not ready to make a commitment either.
Her advocate talked with her about Jesus, and Alyssa remembered going to a church when she was young. She asked the advocate to tell her more about the Lord, and before the ultrasound, she accepted Christ and made a commitment to live for Him.
During the ultrasound, Alyssa cried and was very moved by the image of her preborn baby. Her new life in Christ and the reality of the life on the ultrasound screen kept her from going through another abortion.
Although she wondered what would happen when she told her boyfriend, Alyssa decided to continue her pregnancy. After some thought, she said, “Regardless of the outcome of our conversation, I’m keeping the baby, no matter what.”
The same Network Clinic assisted 19-year-old Amy who was already a mother to three children. Her youngest was only two months old when she learned she was pregnant again. She was engaged, and she and her fiancé had agreed to have no more children. Amy and her fiancé turned to the internet to find an abortion clinic.
Instead, they discovered a PreBorn! Network Clinic. She spoke with a client advocate who provided the young woman with pregnancy options education. She also received a free ultrasound, in which she learned she was pregnant with twins.
Amy’s fears began to turn to excitement. She took a video of the ultrasound on her phone and sent it to her mother. After speaking with her fiancé and showing him the video, the couple changed their minds, chose life, and planned to parent their babies.
Miracles continue to take place in Virginia.
One muggy fall morning, Diane walked into a PreBorn! Network Clinic. She was consumed with fear. Her hands were shaking, her face pale, and her eyes were wet with tears.
As Diane waited to meet with her advocate, the team gathered in the hall of the Clinic and prayed for her, asking God to calm her fears and open her heart to Him. They thanked Jesus for making a way to her to seek God for herself, prayed the Holy Spirit would direct the words that would be spoken, and for the grace of God to work in the lives of all their clients.
By God’s grace, Diane and her counselor bonded instantly, and the young woman shared her story. She admitted to being an alcoholic, and she had just started attending AA meetings. The client advocate who met with Diane that day was also a long-time recovering alcoholic who was set free through Christ and attended AA meetings.
This connection gave Diane the strength to share her deepest fears. She didn’t know who the father was, but she did know that none of her pregnancy options were easy. She also felt like she had no positive relationships in her life, like she was already a failure, and that she wasn’t capable of being a good mother. The young woman’s advocate reminded her, “Every one of us is a sinner, and we all fall short, but forgiveness comes from the Lord.”
They talked about the choices Diane made that had led her to the Clinic and what changes she could make to put herself in a position to experience spiritual and emotional growth in her life. Diane was receptive to the advocate’s words, and after prayer, Diane said she felt “immediate peace.”
As she walked into the ultrasound room, Diane hugged her advocate, and for the first time that morning, she smiled. During the ultrasound, she watched the image of her preborn baby and right then, she decided to keep her baby.
Diane and her advocate now attend AA meetings together. Between truth revealed, an open heart, and the caring, knowledgeable staff at a PreBorn! Network Clinic, two lives were saved that day.
Saving babies, offering God’s love, and providing free services and resources—that’s what PreBorn! Network Clinics do for women, and men, experiencing unplanned pregnancies. Such offerings open the door to discover hope for themselves and their preborn babies. Many step through that door, recognizing the value of their preborn babies and themselves and find the courage to choose a better life on this earth . . . and for eternity.
