Displaying items by tag: Press Releases

Open letter highlights the voices of women who sought abortion pill reversal and now oppose efforts to restrict information about the protocol.

June 24, 2026

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COLUMBUS, Ohio – More than 200 women who personally sought help through the Abortion Pill Rescue® Network (APRN) have signed an open letter expressing their gratitude for the care, information, and hope they received after choosing to try and reverse an abortion they did not want to finish. More than 40 of those women are Californians, from the very state where Attorney General Rob Bonta is seeking to silence Heartbeat International, the organization that manages APRN, and punish its speech about abortion pill reversal in the case The People of the State of California v. Heartbeat International & RealOptions.

“These precious women and their babies are not political talking points,” Danielle White, General Counsel for Heartbeat, said. “They are the women whose voices and hopeful, life-altering stories have been largely absent from the public conversation. It’s appalling that California’s lawyers seek to paint hope as harm, to silence their stories and dismiss as mere delusion their tangible gift of motherhood after APR. It is also revealing that California cannot produce a single woman who claims to have been harmed by information about the APR protocol, even as multiple happy mothers prepare to take the stand to testify to how APR helped them to reverse their in-progress abortions.” 

Signers voluntarily contacted the APRN after taking mifepristone because they wanted to know if there was any possibility of continuing their pregnancies. They indicate in the letter that they were “free to accept or decline that care.” They reached out to the APRN because they wanted information during one of the most time-sensitive and emotional moments of their lives. And APRN provided them free, compassionate help.

The open letter reads, in part: “Hope is not harm. Information is not misconduct. Compassion is not deception.” The letter notes that “women deserve to know all of their options” and signers support “the continued availability of Abortion Pill Rescue Network services for women who may one day find themselves in the same position.” The letter also indicates that many of the women who signed the letter welcomed children they cherish today, while others may not have experienced the outcome they hoped for. 

“Heartbeat is honored to stand alongside these courageous women as they share their experiences publicly,” Andrea Trudden, vice president of communications and marketing, said. “Each signature, story, and baby picture we receive reminds us that patients deserve truthful information, compassionate care, and the freedom to make informed medical decisions without government censorship.”

The complete open letter, signed by more than 200 women, is available on the APRN website.

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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

The first trial of its kind puts women's right to information and a nonprofit's First Amendment protections on the line

June 22, 2026

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COLUMBUS, Ohio – On June 24, Heartbeat International will stand trial in California Superior Court in what is to be the first lawsuit over Abortion Pill Reversal (APR) to reach trial in the United States.

In People v. Heartbeat International, et al., the California Attorney General is seeking nearly $20 million in penalties against Heartbeat International over its promotion of APR through its Abortion Pill Rescue Network (APRN). This case will decide if state attorneys general have the right to issue ruinous fines against a charity whose viewpoints those AGs disfavor. Heartbeat has asked the court to find that the First Amendment protects their speech and women’s rights to access information about all available options following a chemical abortion.

“California claims to fight for women's choices. But seeking the 'death penalty' in fines to silence the charity she calls when she changes her mind is not freedom — it's control,” said Jor-El Godsey, president of Heartbeat International. “No mom should be denied the chance to save her own baby's life. Heartbeat will always fight for a mother’s right to know and her right to choose life.”

California conceded that it has received no complaints from California women regarding APR. Instead, the trial will include testimony from mothers who sought help through Heartbeat's network and are today raising healthy children after choosing to reverse their abortion — firsthand accounts of the access to information this case puts at risk.

"This is the first case of its kind to reach trial, and the implications extend far beyond Heartbeat International,” said Danielle White, Esq., general counsel for Heartbeat International. “A ruling in California's favor would hand attorneys general across the country a roadmap to penalize any non-profit organization that provides women with information the state disagrees with."

APR has been offered to women since 2012, using progesterone — an FDA-approved hormone safely prescribed during pregnancy since the 1950s — to counter the effects of mifepristone if administered within 72 hours. Statistics show more than 8,000 lives have been saved following the protocol.

Heartbeat International maintains that the state's case represents an unprecedented use of consumer protection law to restrict the free flow of medical information, with consequences that would reach well beyond California.

Heartbeat International remains committed to ensuring no mother faces that decision alone. Through its Abortion Pill Rescue Network, Heartbeat operates a 24/7 helpline connecting women with a nationwide network of medical professionals trained to provide APR treatment because no woman should be forced to complete an abortion she no longer wants.

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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
X | @HeartbeatIntl

New public resource seeks to track growing reports of coercion, deception, and abortion drug misuse across the United States

May 29, 2026

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Heartbeat International launched a new national tracker documenting reported abortion pill poisonings and forced abortions across the United States. The tracker, hosted by Pregnancy Help News, provides a centralized resource for journalists, policymakers, pregnancy help organizations, and members of the public seeking to better understand the growing number of reported incidents involving abortion drugs being used without a woman's knowledge or consent.

The tracker compiles publicly reported cases from across the country and organizes them by state. Heartbeat International plans to update the resource as additional incidents become known.

The project was developed in response to an increasing number of calls received through Heartbeat International's Abortion Pill Rescue® Network (APRN), which provides care to women who regret beginning a chemical abortion and seek information about continuing their pregnancies. In recent years, APRN staff have also observed a troubling increase in calls involving reproductive coercion, pressure to abort, and allegations that abortion drugs were administered without a woman's knowledge.

"We are hearing from more women who feel pressured into abortions they do not want, many coerced or forced abortions, and we are increasingly hearing from women who believe they are being poisoned with abortion drugs," said Christa Brown, Senior Director of Medical Impact for Heartbeat International who oversees the Abortion Pill Rescue Network. "Many of these women are frightened, confused, and unsure where to turn. They often are afraid that no one will believe them."

According to Brown, the concerns extend beyond individual cases and point to a broader pattern emerging alongside the widespread availability of abortion drugs through mail-order distribution and online providers.

"Every woman deserves to make decisions about her pregnancy free from coercion, threats, manipulation, violence, or deception," Brown said. "When abortion drugs become increasingly accessible outside traditional medical settings, opportunities for misuse also increase. The stories we hear every week remind us that these drugs can be used not only for abortion but, in some cases, as tools of control and abuse."

While Heartbeat International has maintained internal records of reported incidents for years, organizational leaders determined that a public-facing resource was needed to help identify trends and provide greater visibility into a growing concern.

"Publicly reported cases likely represent only a fraction of what is actually occurring," said Andrea Trudden, Vice President of Communications and Marketing for Heartbeat International. "Many women never report what happened to them, particularly when the person responsible is someone they know and trust. By creating this tracker, we hope to provide a factual resource that helps illuminate patterns that might otherwise go unnoticed."

Heartbeat International hopes the tracker will serve as a reference point for media coverage, policy discussions, research, and public awareness efforts related to abortion pill distribution and safety.

The tracker is available now through Heartbeat's news website, Pregnancy Help News, and will continue to be updated as new reports emerge.

About Heartbeat International
Heartbeat International is the world's largest network of life-affirming pregnancy help organizations, supporting more than 4,000 affiliated locations in more than 100 countries. Through programs including Option Line® and the Abortion Pill Rescue Network®, Heartbeat International connects women facing unexpected pregnancies with compassionate support, medical referrals, and life-affirming care.

May 11, 2026

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Heartbeat International welcomes the launch of Moms.gov by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), a new national resource designed to provide information, support, and practical help for new and expectant mothers.

Among the most notable features of the new site is that the very first resource link directs women to Option Line, Heartbeat International’s 24/7 contact center connecting women to life-affirming pregnancy help and local support services.

The inclusion of Option Line on the site reflects more than two decades of trusted service through Option Line, which has been helping women since taking its first call in 2003. Since then, the contact center has served as a compassionate, immediate connection point for women seeking pregnancy support, offering accurate information, pregnancy resources, and referrals to local care through a nationwide network of pregnancy help organizations.

“Motherhood is how we all got here. Every woman should be loved and supported in her pregnancy,” said Jor-El Godsey, president of Heartbeat International. “That’s why we’re grateful for the trust to serve to connect moms to the kind of choices everyone can live with.”

Andrea Trudden, vice president of communications and marketing for Heartbeat International, said the inclusion of Option Line reflects years of consistent service rather than political advocacy.

“Option Line is a natural fit for Moms.gov because it represents more than two decades of trusted, compassionate service to women and families,” said Andrea Trudden. “Since taking its first call in 2003, Option Line has provided 24/7 support, connecting women to real help, accurate information, practical resources, and local care. When HHS looked for a trusted national resource for mothers, Option Line was already doing that work every day.”

In addition to connecting women to Option Line, Moms.gov also links families to federally qualified health centers and other supportive resources, signaling a broader commitment to strengthening families and ensuring women have access to care and community support.

Heartbeat International sees this as a meaningful step toward elevating life-affirming resources and recognizing the vital role pregnancy help organizations play in serving women, children, and families across the nation.

About Heartbeat International

Heartbeat International is the largest network of pregnancy help organizations in the world, supporting nearly 4,000 affiliates in more than 100 countries. Heartbeat International advances life-affirming pregnancy help through training, support, advocacy, and services including Option Line and the Abortion Pill Rescue Network.

April 29, 2026

"This ruling makes clear that no attorney general, no matter how politically motivated, can weaponize the power of the state to punish those who protect life and serve women with compassion."
- Jor-El Godsey

COLUMBUS, OH - Heartbeat International welcomes today’s unanimous 9-0 ruling by the United States Supreme Court in First Choice Women’s Resource Centers, Inc. v. Davenport, affirming that faith-based pregnancy help organizations do not have to surrender their constitutional rights before seeking protection in federal court.

The Court ruled that First Choice could challenge the New Jersey Attorney General’s sweeping subpoena in federal court before being forced to comply. The subpoena demanded sensitive donor and personnel records despite no allegations of fraud or financial misconduct, targeting the organization because of its Christian, pro-life convictions. Heartbeat submitted a friend-of-the-court brief in support of First Choice, arguing that pregnancy resource centers would speak less freely if government surveillance loomed.

“Today’s 9-0 decision is a powerful and unanimous affirmation that constitutional freedoms do not disappear simply because someone holds pro-life or Christian convictions. Every single Justice of the United States Supreme Court stood on the side of First Choice Women’s Resource Centers and against government overreach that sought to intimidate and silence faith-based pregnancy help organizations. This ruling makes clear that no attorney general, no matter how politically motivated, can weaponize the power of the state to punish those who protect life and serve women with compassion. We celebrate this victory not only for First Choice, but for every pregnancy help organization, donor, and ministry across the nation that deserves the freedom to live out its mission without fear.” — Jor-El Godsey

“The Supreme Court’s unanimous 9-0 decision sends a clear legal message: the government cannot evade constitutional scrutiny by hiding behind investigatory subpoenas. The Court today rightly recognized that the harm begins the moment the government uses its power to chill speech, intimidate donors, and target ministries based on their beliefs. Faith-based pregnancy help organizations should not have to endure government overreach before they can defend their constitutional rights in federal court. This decision is a vital safeguard against abuse of power and a strong reminder that constitutional protections must be available when they are needed most.” — Danielle White

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.

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.

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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.

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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.

“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.

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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.

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September 19, 2025

Columbus, OH — Heartbeat International and Abortion Pill Rescue® Network (APRN) applaud efforts to ensure women receive complete and accurate information before making a life-altering decision. The Second Chance at Life Act of 2025 is aimed at ensuring women are empowered with knowledge—not only about abortion—but also about the possibility of reversing a chemical abortion, if they change their minds.

Every woman deserves to know all her options. Research and thousands of real-life stories prove that in-progress chemical abortions are not always final. Through the Abortion Pill Rescue Network, statistics show more than 7,000 lives have been saved when women, after taking the first abortion pill, realized they wanted a second chance to choose life.

Behind each number is a family, a story, and a child who is alive today because his or her mother had the courage to seek help and the opportunity to be fully informed:

• “I don’t know where I’d be without [my son],” said Shashana, who encourages other women to “take a leap of faith because you never know where it’s going to lead you – it could be that door you need.”
• Sarah, whose son Isaiah was saved through the reversal process, shared, “I wanted to try whatever I could to reverse the worst decision I had made… I have never been more grounded in my faith, nor blessed.”
• Cassidy remembers the turning point when she heard her baby’s heartbeat after beginning Abortion Pill Reversal: “The entire room filled with joy, and it was such a magical moment that changed everything for me. The Abortion Pill Reversal not only saved my child’s life but saved [my life] as well.”

Heartbeat International and the Abortion Pill Rescue Network strongly support efforts like the Second Chance at Life Act of 2025 that prioritize transparency, informed consent, and above all, a woman’s right to know the truth. Women deserve nothing less.

Jor-El Godsey, president of Heartbeat International, said, “We are deeply grateful to Rep. Pfluger for his leadership in introducing this bill and to the co-sponsors standing with him in this effort. By ensuring women are informed about the possibility of Abortion Pill Reversal, Congress is affirming that every woman deserves the chance to make a fully informed choice — including the choice to save her child’s life and continue her pregnancy.”

For more information about Abortion Pill Reversal, visit AbortionPillReversal.com