As a matter of good practice, every Pregnancy Help Organization (PHO) should have a policy on confidentiality.

Federal Law

United States federal law has established national standards for protecting certain health information through the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). HIPAA grants patients certain rights, including the ability to file complaints with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR). See 45 CFR 160.306.

Certain entities are required to comply with HIPAA. Federal law outlines three categories of entities that the law applies to:

1. A health plan;
2. A health care clearing house; and
3. A health care provider who transmits any health information in electronic form in connection with a transaction as defined by this law.

HIPAA also applies to business associates. See 45 CFR 160.103.

A health plan is an individual or group that provides or pays the cost of medical care. Health plans include a group health plan, health insurance issuer, and/or a health maintenance organization (HMO). See 45 CFR 160.103.

A health care clearing house is a public or private entity, that either processes or facilitates the processing of nonstandard health information into standard, or vice versa. Examples of health care clearing houses include a repricing company, community health management information system or community health information system, and “value-added” networks and switches. See 45 CFR 160.103.

A health care provider is a provider or organization who provides medical or health services when they furnish, bill, or are paid for health care in the normal course of business. This includes both doctors and clinics. See 45 CFR 160.103.

However, health care providers are only considered to be covered entities when they transmit health information in connection with a transaction as defined by this law. While the term “transaction” has many meanings, under this law, a transaction is defined as the transmission of information between two parties to carry out financial or administrative activities related to healthcare. Examples include health care claim information, health care payments, coordination of benefits, enrollment in health plans, and premium payments. See 45 CFR 160.03.

A business associate is an organization who creates, receives, maintains, or transmits protected health information (PHI) for the purposes of a function or activity regulated by this law, including claims processing or administration, data analysis, processing or administration, utilization review, quality assurance, patient safety activities, billing, benefit management, practice management, and repricing on behalf of a covered entity. A business associate can also be an organization that provides legal, actuarial, accounting, consulting, data aggregation, management, administrative, accreditation, or financial services, which involves the disclosure PHI, to or for a covered entity. See 45 CFR § 160.103. 

A business associate does not mean a health care provider who discloses PHI concerning treatment of the individual.

State Law

Most states have a form of HIPAA enacted into law. Some adopt HIPAA entirely, and others take only a few components. It is important you check with a local attorney to determine what the laws in your state are, and how they apply to your center.

Grants and State Funding Agreements

Oftentimes, grants and agreements for state funding will have requirements that mimic HIPAA requirements. Before signing on the dotted line, it may be best to check with local counsel to review these agreements.

Practical Application

If you are not considered a covered entity, you are not required, by federal law, to comply with HIPAA. If you do not bill for services, you most likely are not considered a covered entity. This means that the rights given to patients under HIPAA may not extend to your clients. It is important to consider how you advertise yourself out to the public.

Confidentiality Policy

Every PHO should have standards for confidentiality: a policy for your employees, and a statement for your clients. Both should include your state law’s requirements. You may also include the requirements from grant or state funding agreements.

Your Employee Confidentiality Policy should indicate that confidential information is shared on a need-to-know basis only. The Confidentiality Policy should state that any location that stores personal health data is secure. For example, computers should have automatic lock screens and paper records should be stored in locked cabinets in a locked room, separate from the waiting room or consulting rooms.

Your Confidentiality Statement should apply and be given out to all clients, regardless of the services they receive. The Confidentiality Statement should outline the safeguards your PHO agrees to follow, and any exceptions to confidentiality that are required by your state’s laws or your center’s policies. It is recommended that the client acknowledge receipt of the Confidentiality Statement.

Not only do you need to have a policy on confidentiality, but you also need to follow that policy. External authorities will judge your organization based on how well you follow your own policies.

February 17, 2026

Columbus, Ohio — Heartbeat International announced today that its statistics show more than 8,000 lives have been saved through the Abortion Pill Rescue® Network (APRN), marking a significant milestone in its effort to provide immediate medical care to women who regret beginning a chemical abortion.

The Abortion Pill Rescue® Network connects women to licensed medical professionals who may prescribe bioidentical progesterone after a woman has taken mifepristone, the first drug in a chemical abortion regimen. When administered quickly, progesterone can counteract the effects of mifepristone and help sustain the pregnancy.

Chemical abortion now accounts for the majority of abortions in the United States, and abortion drugs are increasingly obtained online or by mail. As access has expanded, inquiries to the APR hotline have continued to rise.

“This milestone represents far more than a number,” said Jor-El Godsey, President of Heartbeat International. “Each life saved reflects a woman who had a change of heart and was met with immediate, compassionate medical care. In a culture that moves at the speed of a click, our response must be just as fast. The Abortion Pill Rescue Network is here so that no woman who regrets starting a chemical abortion feels alone or without options.”

Results are strongest when progesterone is administered within 24 hours of taking mifepristone, though successful reversals have occurred beyond that. A 2018 peer-reviewed study reported reversal rates between 64% and 68%, with no increase in birth defects and a lower preterm delivery rate than the general population.

Christa Brown, Director of Medical Impact for Heartbeat International, emphasized the medical basis of the protocol.

“Progesterone has been used in pregnancy care for decades,” Brown said. “The Abortion Pill Rescue® Network ensures that women who change their minds have access to licensed medical professionals who can respond quickly. Time matters, and so does accurate information.”

The network works alongside Heartbeat International’s more than 4,000 affiliated pregnancy help organizations worldwide and includes over 1,500 medical professionals committed to providing rapid response care.

“These children are living proof that hope remains possible, even after the first abortion pill has been taken,” Godsey added.

Women seeking immediate assistance after taking mifepristone can contact the 24/7 hotline at 1-877-558-0333 or visit AbortionPillReversal.com.

Jan. 14, 2026

COLUMBUS — In response to the U.S. Senate HELP Committee’s Hearing today on Protecting Women: Exposing the Dangers of Chemical Abortion Drugs, Heartbeat International President Jor-El Godsey issued the following statement: 

“Today’s briefing established what we already know: Women across our country face profound harms from the use and coercive abuse of chemical abortion drugs. The Biden Administration irresponsibly eliminated key safety protocols for these dangerous drugs. Our affiliated nurses and consultants within the pregnancy help movement have firsthand knowledge of how these reckless changes have empowered traffickers and abusers, endangered minors, and left women to suffer complications — including hemorrhage, incomplete abortion, and infection — alone and without medical care.

“Our concerns about chemical abortion drugs do not stem from a so-called ‘discomfort with abortion’ but a steadfast commitment to providing women, families, and unborn children with the dignity, compassion, and scientifically supported care they deserve. 

“As our own Ohio Senator Husted noted, women often face coercion and manipulation to ingest dangerous chemical abortion drugs against their will. Our Abortion Pill Rescue® Network (APRN) will continue to provide life-affirming alternatives to women who regret taking that first abortion drug and wish to continue their pregnancies. We respectfully urge the FDA to reconsider its regulation of abortion drugs and begin by reinstating in-person dispensing.”

Under the Biden Administration, the FDA stripped away longstanding safety protocols, allowing abortion pills to be shipped through the mail without any medical evaluation, ultrasound, or in-person supervision. 

Through Heartbeat International’s Abortion Pill Rescue Network, more than 1,500 medical professionals, hospitals, and pregnancy help organizations worldwide are available to help women reverse the effects of the first abortion pill using progesterone, a hormone safely used in pregnancy for decades.

Statistics show that Abortion Pill Reversal has saved over 7,000 children to date, offering women a second chance when they’ve had second thoughts.

###

Heartbeat International is the largest worldwide network of life-affirming pregnancy help organizations, offering support, training, and resources to empower women and families to choose life. The Abortion Pill Rescue Network is one of Heartbeat’s key initiatives, providing a 24/7 helpline and access to a network of medical professionals to help women seeking to reverse chemical abortions.

Website | HeartbeatInternational.org  |  Facebook | /HeartbeatInternational  |  Twitter | @HeartbeatIntl

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Heartbeat International announced today that its 24/7 helpline, Option Line, has surpassed more than 2 million connections with men and women in 2025 — more than five times the number of connections from the previous year and representing the highest annual total in the program’s history.

Option Line serves as a confidential, around-the-clock front door to the pregnancy help movement, offering compassionate listening, accurate information, and seamless referrals to local pregnancy help organizations. On average, Option Line now responds to more than 5,600 connections each day, ensuring no one faces a pregnancy decision alone — even during nights, weekends, and holidays.

“Pregnancy doesn’t take a holiday or the night off, and neither do we,” said Jor-El Godsey, president of Heartbeat International. “This amazing milestone reflects the growing trust people place in Option Line and the unwavering commitment of pregnancy help organizations to meet women and families with compassion, dignity, and hope.”

Several connections are supported by Option Line Plus nurses, who provide free, life-affirming health education and help callers understand their options while prioritizing their health and safety. These nurses also play a critical role in connecting callers back to pregnancy help organizations in their communities, particularly during hours when most centers are closed.

Behind the milestone are real people and real stories. Option Line consultants regularly speak with women facing pressure, fear, and uncertainty, offering space to be heard and access to support. In many cases, those conversations lead callers to verified pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, and practical assistance through local pregnancy help centers — often transforming fear into confidence and isolation into hope.

“This achievement belongs to the entire pregnancy help movement,” added Nafisa Kennedy, director of Option Line. “Option Line exists to support, not replace, pregnancy help organizations by extending their reach and ensuring continuity of care at all hours.”

As a new year begins, Heartbeat International remains committed to strengthening Option Line’s capacity, training, and technology so that every call, chat, or text receives professional, grace-filled support.

For more information about Option Line or Heartbeat International, visit OptionLine.org or HeartbeatInternational.org.

###

About Heartbeat International
Heartbeat International is the largest network of pregnancy help organizations in the world, committed to providing compassionate care and support to women, children, and families before, during, and after pregnancy. Through programs like Option Line, Heartbeat International equips pregnancy help organizations to meet needs with excellence, integrity, and hope.

“When I found out I was pregnant, I was so excited, but also overwhelmed with fear. As my hormones shifted, I spiraled into a deep depression. I began experiencing panic attacks multiple times a day, sometimes 4 or 5 [times] in a row. They would wake me up in the middle of the night, and I’d be on my knees, overwhelmed to the point where I didn’t want to continue living. Feeling like I had no control over anything, I couldn’t take it anymore and I made the decision to terminate my pregnancy.

“My fiancé didn’t want me to make that choice, but he prioritized my health and safety, so we agreed to take the first abortion pill. However, I believe in a powerful God, and He intervened. After taking the first pill, I went to take a nap before taking the second [pill] later that evening. While napping, I suddenly heard a voice in my ear, clear as day, telling me to WAKE UP AND FIX THIS. I woke up in a panic and immediately called Planned Parenthood, asking if there was any way to reverse what I had done. They told me no, that I would need to take the second pill. But, I didn’t give up.

“I kept searching for answers and finally connected with an organization [Abortion Pill Rescue® Network] that could assist me. [...] Within a few hours, two amazing nurses arrived at my home [in a mobile unit] and performed an ultrasound. [...] At every doctor’s appointment after that, I explained what I had been through, and they couldn’t understand how everything looked so perfect. My God is mighty. I still struggle with guilt, thinking about how my daughter almost wasn’t here, but every day I’m beyond grateful to be her mama.”

Abortion Pill Reversal™ can help turn back the clock. As the agile guardians of that precious moment in time when a woman chooses to give her unborn child a chance to fight for life, others might say “it is done” —we say “here is a second chance at life, just in time.”

Wendy, a single mom at nine-and-a-half weeks pregnant, called an abortion clinic. She took the abortion pill on a Saturday.

She had begun attending worship services at a church just a month prior, but that particular Sunday after taking the abortion pill, Wendy experienced God in a powerful way. “[I] prayed to God to guide and help me make the right choices. I told Him I wholeheartedly trusted Him and wanted to do right. As soon as the service ended and I walked out, I felt my chest tighten and I was overwhelmed with so much anxiety; all I could do was cry as I walked to my car, and I immediately started regretting my decision, and it was in that moment I felt God telling me to keep my baby.”

Wendy called the abortion clinic and was told there was no way to save her child. Her heart sank. Yet, she recalled seeing a sign outside the clinic about reversal, and her hope was renewed. She found the Abortion Pill Reversal™ (APR) hotline and called it. The APR operator told her there was hope for her pregnancy and was connected with a nurse to help begin the reversal process and get her connected with a local pregnancy center.

“This was on a Sunday,” Wendy said, “And it wasn’t open. But they opened it for me. The nurse was coming from church when I talked to her.” Wendy committed her life to Christ that day as she witnessed the love and compassion of those invested in her miracle at the local pregnancy center.

Isaac was born in June, and Wendy shared, “I am truly blessed; I know God walked with me throughout this pregnancy. I am forever thankful for this program, which saved my sanity and my baby’s life.”

Jodi still remembers the fear that gripped her the day she learned she was pregnant. Hoping for reassurance, she went to a clinic to check for a heartbeat. Instead, she was told there was none. The staff instructed her to take abortion pills to “clean out” her body.

Shaken and trusting their words, Jodi took the first pill and went home.

Several days later, she found herself standing in a pharmacy aisle, gathering essential supplies in preparation for taking the second set of pills. But something deep inside her didn’t feel right. A quiet, persistent tug urged her to slow down and reconsider.

Following that instinct, Jodi got in her car and found the Abortion Pill Rescue Network, asking whether the medication she had taken could be reversed. They immediately connected her with help and arranged for progesterone in hopes of countering what Jodi feared might have been a grave mistake at the first clinic.

Later, she arrived at the hospital for an ultrasound that revealed what she had prayed to see: a baby, unmistakably alive, with a strong and steady heartbeat.

Weeks went by and Jodi welcomed her daughter—tiny, healthy, and perfect—into the world. Winter was born without any defects or complications, a thriving reminder of the second chance her mother had fought for.

Jodi often thinks about how close she came to losing her. “I can’t imagine my life without her,” she says. And she means it with every beat of Winter’s little heart.

“Pregnancy help cannot be both a safe harbor and a source of punishment,” Jor-El Godsey, president - Heartbeat International

COLUMBUS – 11/11/2025 – As some abortion opponents renew a debate over whether women should face criminal penalties for seeking or undergoing abortions, Heartbeat International reaffirms its commitment to compassion, support, and hope for every woman facing an unexpected pregnancy.

Pregnancy help organizations cannot both openly advocate for criminalizing women and remain safe harbors for them.

Our mission is rooted in “personal, confidential, and nonjudgmental” care that meets women in moments of crisis and empowers them to choose life. The call to criminalize women for abortion, however well-intentioned, directly conflicts with the heart of pregnancy help. Such measures would undermine the trust that allows women to reach out for support and would erode the safe, compassionate spaces that define the movement.

For more than 50 years, pregnancy help organizations have offered what laws alone cannot provide: customized practical assistance, personal emotional support, and applied spiritual encouragement. Through life-revealing ultrasounds, positive parenting classes, material aid, housing, and connections to community resources, these organizations have reached millions of women, helping them restore broken relationships, overcome fear, and choose life for their children.

While political and legal debates continue, the work of pregnancy help organizations rise above legislation. It offers a path of mercy rather than punishment. The movement’s focus is not on condemning those wounded by abortion but on rescuing, healing, and walking alongside them with human compassion.

Abortion must end because it destroys one life and deeply wounds another. Yet the path to a world where abortion is both illegal and unthinkable will not be built through criminalization of the victims of a lucrative abortion industry, but through compassion, through the tireless work of those who extend hope in place of fear, support in place of shame, and life in place of death.

###

About Heartbeat International

Founded in 1971, Heartbeat International is the largest network of life-affirming pregnancy help organizations in the world, with nearly 4,000 affiliated locations spanning more than 100 countries. Through training, resources, and support, Heartbeat International empowers pregnancy help organizations to reach and rescue more women, and to renew communities for life.