What is a pregnancy help center?
Pregnancy help can be found at Pregnancy Centers, also known as Pregnancy Resource Centers (PRC) or Pregnancy Medical Clinic (PMC) or Pregnancy Health Organizations (PHO). Even with many different names, the thing that unites them all is that they are local non-profit organizations that provide caring, practical help to men and women in an unexpected pregnancy. The help available can vary in each center, but each is unique and amazing. When I have been in a center, it feels like talking to a friend—a place of hopeful choices where the staff and volunteers genuinely desire to make a difference in the lives of their diverse clients.
What pregnancy help is available?
Each pregnancy help center and pregnancy clinic work in their local community to meet the needs of their neighbors. Therefore, they are unique. Some of the services they may provide are listed:
Pregnancy test, STD testing and ultrasounds
It is so helpful to have a place that can confirm a pregnancy. And an ultrasound, when appropriate, can make a huge difference. When a woman sees her baby at just eight weeks and hears the heartbeat, the baby’s lie is a clump of cells becomes clear. Even though ultrasounds are expensive, this valuable service is free in the centers I have talked to. It is a fantastic opportunity that pregnancy help centers offer. One director shared how the baby waved at her mom through the ultrasound. The image made all of the difference to the mom.
Medical regulations and staff
Many centers have worked hard to become a clinic. They meet the regulations of their state and have the oversight of a doctor. A woman can feel confident in the help she gets from the technicians, nurses, and doctors who are all working to give her the best information possible.
One way pregnancy help centers and pregnancy clinics seek to help their clients is by providing up-to-date information on the abortion pill and abortion pill reversal. Taking the pill may seem easy for some women, but what if a women changes her mind? Pregnancy help centers either have or can find the information on how the pill’s effects can be reversed.
Real choice is a hopeful choice – pregnancy options
Pregnancy clinics also work hard to make sure every client knows all of the choices available to them. Choice should mean that there is more than one choice. However, often abortion clinics that claim to help with family planning specialize in abortion with little to offer clients in search of other pregnancy options. In truth, the three possible options for the men and women are parenting, adoption or abortion. In a pregnancy help center, women and men can confidentially talk through all of their options. Best of all, most pregnancy center clients are offered resources that empower them in their decision. And there is no profit involved. The center is not making money off of a woman’s choice. As a friend, they talk through the fears and concerns of each client. Bringing hope, they share the resources available for the choices ahead.
More information can be found:
- It’s Your Story
- What I Didn’t Know About Adoption
- How to Help a Friend Who Wants an Abortion
- Considering Abortion?
Pregnancy help even after pregnancy
All the clients are cared for regardless of their choice and many times the pregnancy help continues even after pregnancy. If a woman chooses abortion and then finds she is suffering from the decision, many pregnancy help centers offer post-abortion counseling. If the woman chooses to continue her pregnancy, the clinics may help with the adoption or with parenting. Each path has different highs and lows and the pregnancy help center may walk their client through these challenges by providing education, encouragement, and practical resources. All with the aim of providing their client with a hopeful choice.
Support and education on topics such as pregnancy, infant care, nutrition and childbirth are available. Continuing education on healthy relationships, goal setting and decision making might even be available. Some pregnancy help centers even cover teen suicide.
Practical items such as infant and toddler clothing, bedding, formula, diapers, crib, car seat or stroller are often available as well. Mentoring for both men and women through the journey of adoption and parenting may be available, especially if that center to clinic partners with local churches and other hopeful choice organizations. Some centers even help provide housing, daycare options and resources for finding family-friendly jobs.
Decisions made when pregnant are life-changing. Taking the time to look at all the choices is worth it. Local pro-life pregnancy help centers offer the best hopeful choice for the future.
Where is a pregnancy help center near me?
Pregnancy help centers and clinics can be found at:
The post Hopeful Choice: What is a Pregnancy Help Center? appeared first on Focus on the Family.
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