HBI
Emily and Ezekiel
Emily’s Story
Ezekiel—2014
When Emily discovered she was pregnant, she was happy, surprised, and scared all at the same time. A freshman in college and living at home, she feared her parents’ reaction. Although her sister and her best friend gave encouragement, the father of her baby responded with anger telling her that he wanted nothing to do with her or the baby...she decided abortion was her only choice.
At four weeks pregnant, she made an abortion appointment at Planned Parenthood. After taking the first part of the abortion pill regimen, she left feeling terrible.
“I began to pray as hard as I could for forgiveness and help,” Emily said.
Then, she had an idea: Maybe she could “reverse” the abortion. With her sister at her side, they searched online and found Heartbeat’s Abortion Pill Rescue Network.
Thanks to the reversal treatment, Emily delivered a healthy baby boy and named him Ezekiel, which means “God Strengthens.” Today, Emily is married to a man who loves Ezekiel as much as she does. Emily believes God saved her life by saving her son’s life.
Ashley and Julian
Ashley’s Story
Julian —June 15, 2019
After taking the first abortion pill, Ashley felt an onslaught of guilt and conviction. What if she made a mistake? She immediately went home and searched online and found the Abortion Pill Rescue Network. The APR consultant listened to Ashley and gave her hope that it might not be too late.
They located a doctor within an hour so Ashley could start the reversal process and save her baby’s life.
Ashley continued being monitored through the pregnancy. All tests came out strong!
She had her healthy baby boy, Julian, on June 15, 2019.
“Thank you all again for your help. I’m blessed and thankful every day. I could not imagine my life without my baby boy. I’m so glad I picked up my phone that day and looked for help, who knows What the outcome would have been?"
Ashley and Gavin
Ashley’s Story
Gavin—September 25, 2017
After her marriage ended and she became pregnant from another relationship which did not last, Ashley sought an abortion. With two young children at home, she thought a new baby was the last thing she needed. Though never an abortion supporter, she felt justified because of her situation. Immediately after taking the first abortion pill, her maternal instinct to protect her baby set in, and she was hit with regret.
Ashley ran from the abortion facility crying. She searched the internet and fortunately found Heartbeat’s Abortion Pill Rescue Network. Roughly 12 hours after she had taken the first pill to begin a chemical abortion, she was evaluated at a family practice office, started the reversal protocol, and found hope!
Gavin was saved from abortion and he just celebrated his second birthday!
Because of Heartbeat’s Abortion Pill Rescue Network, not only does Ashley have “the cutest little boy,” she was set on a new life path. She remarried last year, returned to nursing school, and is set to complete her studies in May 2020. Ashley now looks forward to raising awareness about the Network so that she can help save lives as well!
Angela and Arrington
Angela’s Story
Arrington—June 25, 2018
Angela is a highly-educated woman and mother of two. With her marriage ending and her divorce in the works, she developed a relationship with a new man and became pregnant. Upon sharing the news with her boyfriend, he became angry and disappeared.
While perceived by many as a strong, successful woman, Angela felt very alone and scared. Angela chose abortion for her child.
After taking the abortion pill, she immediately regretted her decision. Through the grace of God, she found Heartbeat’s Abortion Pill Rescue Network. Angela confided in her ex-husband who promised that if the reversal worked, he would help her support the baby. “We picked up the progesterone and the rest is history. It was the best decision ever,” Angela said.
Not only did the reversal protocol save baby Arrington’s life, but this moment also saved the relationship of Angela and her ex-husband!
“One year later I can reflect on how much my life has changed, but I do not regret any bit of it. I got my baby and the ex-husband and I are planning to get married again. Happy endings all around!”
Amy and Leo
Amy’s Story
Leo —April 13, 2020
No sooner did Amy get into her car after taking the 1st part of the two-dose chemical abortion regimen, did she have immediate regrets and guilt about her decision to abort.
She swiftly searched online for “what can you do if you regret the decision of an abortion” and abortionpillreversal.com came up.
She found herself both shocked to see such a thing could be done, and overjoyed at knowing she might be able to have a healthy baby.
Amy became excited and hopeful and she knew in her heart that she needed to try to save her baby.
She called the Abortion Pill Rescue Network and had an immediate response, taking the reversal pill within the hour.
Amy is now a proud and happy mother of a healthy baby boy.
Wisdom and Queen
Wisdom’s Story
Queen Brielle LyNay — May 19, 2020
Discovering she was 6 weeks pregnant as a senior in high school, Wisdom was worried that she wouldn’t be able to graduate and that her mother would kick her out of the house. To avoid these concerns, she decided the abortion pill was her only option.
She took the first of the two-pill regimen at the abortion facility and the other dose was called to a pharmacy where her mother would later pick them up. Recognizing what she was purchasing for her daughter, Wisdom’s mother became distraught and talked to her daughter about the choice she had just made.
Realizing that she had her mother’s support, Wisdom immediately sought a way to reverse the effects of the abortion pill.
The Abortion Pill Rescue Network explained that it might not be too late to save her baby and connected her with the caring staff at her local pregnancy help medical clinic. They were able to start the reversal process that same day.
Staying connected with the clinic for weekly checkups, Wisdom received the compassionate care and support needed throughout her pregnancy. She gave birth to a healthy baby girl and now considers the pregnancy help medical clinic part of her family.
"I consider the [pregnancy center] a part of my family now. They have helped me in so many ways."
Thank you for Supporting a Woman’s Right to Know About the Abortion Pill Reversal
Thank you for taking the time to show your support for a woman's right to know about the Abortion Pill Reversal.
To date, over 1,000 mothers have successfully rescued their babies with the life-saving Abortion Pill Reversal (APR) protocol.
Applied up to 72 hours after a woman takes the abortion pill, our Abortion Pill Reversal gives a woman one last hope to choose life in a procedure that now accounts for nearly 50 percent of abortions throughout the U.S.
Thankfully Heartbeat has friends, like you, who know the difference between the truth and a lie and who are not fooled by slippery language and half-truths. And for your gift to support the mission of Heartbeat International, I remain grateful. But not only me-the 30,000+ women contacting our Option Line Call Center each month (not to mention that OptionLine.org has about double those contacts) are deeply thankful to have an alternative to abortion—adoption, maternity home options, abortion pill reversal, and nurturing care and professional services—all offered free of charge.
Though over 1,000 mothers have actually reversed their own chemical abortion and rescued their babies through Abortion Pill Reversal—and despite a growing amount of scientific evidence and agreement from abortion advocates that it is a sound medical treatment—many abortion extremists oppose Abortion Pill Reversal on ideological grounds.
Abortion Pill Reversal Network, now combined with the increasing reach of our Option Line, empowers women to choose life, and every mother deserves the right to protect her own child, no matter what choices she’s made in the past. Heartbeat is deeply honored to steward the Abortion Pill Reversal Network into its next season of saving lives by putting choice back into a mother’s hands.
Join us in this great work! You can reverse an abortion and give hope for life by giving a gift today.
What does it really mean to save a life?
What does it really mean to save a life?
Chemical abortions are on the rise – so are the pleas we receive to reverse them. Help us support mothers and save babies right now.
Ashley Bratcher Surprises Mom with Unplanned Movie Scholarship in Time for the Holiday Season
Tuesday | November, 24 2020
Contact: Andrea Trudden, Director of Communications and Marketing
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Ashley Bratcher Surprises Mom with Unplanned Movie Scholarship in Time for the Holiday Season
Columbus, OH: Inspired by her starring role in the movie Unplanned, Ashley Bratcher partnered with Heartbeat International to award a brave woman who chose life when facing an unplanned pregnancy with an $11,700 scholarship to put toward her education.
The Unplanned Movie Scholarship provides Heartbeat International's network of pregnancy help organizations the opportunity to honor clients with financial support toward their education. Scholarship recipients may receive up to $20,000 in four years beginning from the time of their acceptance for the purpose of schooling or schooling related costs (i.e. childcare, transportation, books, etc.).
“Abortion does not empower women,” Bratcher said. “What empowers women is when they choose life for their children and they can still pursue their dreams. Because they can, sometimes it just takes a little help.”
The latest recipient, Sarah, received pregnancy support and on-going care at InnerVisions Healthcare, a pregnancy help medical clinic with locations in Des Moines and West Des Moines, IA. InnerVisions HealthCare provides women and men facing unplanned pregnancies or sexually transmitted diseases with compassion and truthful information to educate, empower, and encourage them to live their best life.
Sarah recently finished school for massage therapy and took out student loans for the program and licensing. The Unplanned Movie Scholarship will now help cover her costs related to school.
"Tucked into Unplanned is a vivid reminder that education can present an obstacle to accepting the new life within,” said Jor-El Godsey, president of Heartbeat International. “The Unplanned Movie Scholarship will be a lifeline to a young mom's future as she makes the brave choice to embrace motherhood.”
When asked about the partnership with Heartbeat, Bratcher said, “Not only will the scholarship financially support the decision of mothers to continue their education, but it will also connect them to an organization that will support them throughout their pregnancy and beyond.”
The Unplanned Movie Scholarship fund is accepting donations at www.UnplannedMovieScholarship.com.
To learn more about Ashley Bratcher, go to IMDb.com and follow her on Twitter.
For more information on Heartbeat International go to HeartbeatInternational.org and find Heartbeat on Facebook and Twitter.
About Heartbeat International: Heartbeat International is the largest network of pro-life pregnancy help in the world, with over 2,800 affiliated locations in more than 60 countries. Heartbeat's mission is to Reach and Rescue as many lives as possible, around the world, through an effective network of life-affirming pregnancy help, to Renew communities for LIFE in order to achieve their vision of making abortion unwanted today and unthinkable for future generations.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Today the Charlotte Lozier Institute released a report highlighting the findings of a robust study of approximately 2,700 U.S. pregnancy centers. The new report, “Pregnancy Centers Stand the Test of Time,” is based on national survey data provided by the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates and other pregnancy center networks, including Care Net and Heartbeat International. The data in this report quantifies the tremendous impact of pregnancy centers in America.
“Pregnancy centers and medical clinics exist to empower mothers to choose life. They provide invaluable education as well as physical, medical, emotional and financial support,” said Anne O’Connor, NIFLA Vice President of Legal Affairs. “This report quantifies the impact of their work on a national scale. Pregnancy centers provide these services at no cost, saving communities across the nation millions in tax dollars annually. All Americans, regardless of political orientation, can agree that pregnancy centers provide welcome essential resources during times of uncertainty.”
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Key findings in the report include:
2,700 pro-life pregnancy centers nationwide served almost two million people in 2019, at an estimated value of nearly $270 million.
These are some of the vital services typically provided at virtually no charge:
Almost 732,000 pregnancy tests
More than 486,000 free ultrasounds
160,200 STI/STD tests
More than 291,000 clients attended parenting and prenatal education programs
More than 21,000 clients received after-abortion support
Nearly 1.3 million packs of diapers
More than two million baby outfits
Personnel facts:
68,832 workers serve pregnancy centers, including nearly 3,800 licensed medical staff (25% of paid staff)
Eight in 10 (53,855) of these workers are volunteers, including more than 6,400 licensed medical volunteers (12% of total volunteers)
Over 10,000 licensed medical workers provide care, as staff and volunteers
More...
NEW REPORT: U.S. pro-life pregnancy centers assist nearly 2 million with essential services in 2019
Wednesday | October 21, 2020
Contact: Andrea Trudden, Director of Communications and Marketing
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
NEW REPORT: U.S. pro-life pregnancy centers assist nearly 2 million with essential services in 2019
Charlotte Lozier Institute releases new Report Highlighting Care for Women and Families
Columbus, OH: Today the Charlotte Lozier Institute released a report highlighting the findings of a robust study of approximately 2,700 U.S. pregnancy centers. The new report, “Pregnancy Centers Stand the Test of Time,” is based on national survey data provided by Heartbeat International and other pregnancy help networks, including Care Net and NIFLA to calculate their extraordinary medical, education, support, and material service contributions in 2019. The report also highlights unique ways that the pregnancy help movement serves women, namely through the addition of the abortion pill reversal and their work identifying victims of human trafficking.
“A comprehensive big-picture look at the service performed by pregnancy centers is just amazing,” Godsey said. “These pregnancy help centers work every day to empower moms and families to choose life, made possible because of dedicated staff and volunteers, and generous backers. The significance of offering this hope for life nearly 2 million individual times each year cannot be overstated.”
Heartbeat International’s Abortion Pill Rescue® Network (APRN) continues to experience growth and CLI’s report points out that Heartbeat continually seeks qualified consultants to receive APR inquiries, as well as recruit more physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners into the APRN provider network.
Continuing the adaptation of services to meet unique needs, Heartbeat International launched the first anti-human trafficking course for pregnancy help centers two years ago and continues to assist centers in preparing to serve these individuals.
"Pregnancy help centers are vital first responders to this modern slavery,” said Heartbeat International’s Director of Ministry Services Betty McDowell, who has testified before Congress on this issue.
As awareness grows, so will the need to serve them, and pregnancy help organizations stand ready to meet the need.
Key findings in the report include:
- 2,700 pro-life pregnancy centers nationwide served almost two million people in 2019, at an estimated value of nearly $270 million.
- These are some of the vital services typically provided at virtually no charge:
- Almost 732,000 pregnancy tests
- More than 486,000 free ultrasounds
- 160,200 STI/STD tests
- More than 291,000 clients attended parenting and prenatal education programs
- More than 21,000 clients received after-abortion support
- More than 881,000 students attended sexual risk avoidance education presentations
- Nearly 1.3 million packs of diapers
- More than two million baby outfits
- Personnel facts:
- 68,832 workers serve pregnancy centers, including nearly 3,800 licensed medical staff (25% of paid staff)
- Eight in 10 (53,855) of these workers are volunteers, including more than 6,400 licensed medical volunteers (12% of total volunteers)
- Over 10,000 licensed medical workers provide care, as staff and volunteers
- Percentage of centers offering the following services:
- Material items – 94%
- Parenting/prenatal education – 86%
- Ultrasound – 79%
- After-abortion recovery – 72%
In addition, a growing percentage of centers offer sexual risk avoidance presentations to youth (36%), STI/STD testing (30%), STI/STD treatment (21%), childbirth classes (27%), and breastfeeding consultations (19%).
For more information on Heartbeat International go to HeartbeatInternational.org and find Heartbeat on Facebook and Twitter.
About Heartbeat International: Heartbeat International is the largest network of pro-life pregnancy help in the world, with over 2,800 affiliated locations in more than 60 countries. Heartbeat's mission is to Reach and Rescue as many lives as possible, around the world, through an effective network of life-affirming pregnancy help, to Renew communities for LIFE in order to achieve their vision of making abortion unwanted today and unthinkable for future generations.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Today the Charlotte Lozier Institute released a report highlighting the findings of a robust study of approximately 2,700 U.S. pregnancy centers. The new report, “Pregnancy Centers Stand the Test of Time,” is based on national survey data provided by the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates and other pregnancy center networks, including Care Net and Heartbeat International. The data in this report quantifies the tremendous impact of pregnancy centers in America.
“Pregnancy centers and medical clinics exist to empower mothers to choose life. They provide invaluable education as well as physical, medical, emotional and financial support,” said Anne O’Connor, NIFLA Vice President of Legal Affairs. “This report quantifies the impact of their work on a national scale. Pregnancy centers provide these services at no cost, saving communities across the nation millions in tax dollars annually. All Americans, regardless of political orientation, can agree that pregnancy centers provide welcome essential resources during times of uncertainty.”
###
Key findings in the report include:
2,700 pro-life pregnancy centers nationwide served almost two million people in 2019, at an estimated value of nearly $270 million.
These are some of the vital services typically provided at virtually no charge:
Almost 732,000 pregnancy tests
More than 486,000 free ultrasounds
160,200 STI/STD tests
More than 291,000 clients attended parenting and prenatal education programs
More than 21,000 clients received after-abortion support
Nearly 1.3 million packs of diapers
More than two million baby outfits
Personnel facts:
68,832 workers serve pregnancy centers, including nearly 3,800 licensed medical staff (25% of paid staff)
Eight in 10 (53,855) of these workers are volunteers, including more than 6,400 licensed medical volunteers (12% of total volunteers)
Over 10,000 licensed medical workers provide care, as staff and volunteers
No life left behind – Pregnancy help community at the forefront of serving human trafficking victims
Friday | October 16, 2020
Contact: Andrea Trudden, Director of Communications and Marketing
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Pregnancy help community at the forefront of serving human trafficking victims
How pregnancy help centers are meeting this crucial need
Columbus, OH: Do you think you know the full range of assistance provided by your local pregnancy help center? The fact is, in the course of their day-to-day work of serving women facing unplanned pregnancy these centers have been assisting the victims of human trafficking as well.
Human trafficking is another violation of the sanctity of human life, and the awareness of this scourge is starting to catch up with its prevalence.
Pregnancy help centers are in a unique position to make a difference through the services they provide and partnerships they already have established in their communities.
Experts say traffickers often bring their victims to pregnancy centers for free pregnancy ultrasounds and to avoid hospital emergency rooms.
One study found of human trafficking survivors that: 21.2 percent got pregnant 5 times or more; 55.2 percent reported at least one abortion; and 29.9 percent reported multiple abortions.
The study further found that 87 percent of trafficked victims have had contact with a health care provider while being trafficked. Those providers can include pregnancy centers.
This makes pregnancy centers a ‘first responder’ on the front lines of this crisis.
How are they responding?
“Pregnancy help centers are vital first responders to this modern slavery,” said Heartbeat International’s Director of Ministry Services Betty McDowell, who has testified before Congress on this issue.
Heartbeat International launched the first anti-human trafficking course for pregnancy help centers two years ago and continues to assist centers in preparing to serve these individuals.
In addition to its course for pregnancy centers, Heartbeat has included human trafficking presentations at its annual pregnancy help conference, drawing upon the knowledge and experience of experts in this area.
As awareness grows, so will the need to serve them, and pregnancy help organizations stand ready to meet the need.
You can find out through Heartbeat International how pregnancy centers have the unique opportunity to serve as a key ally in helping break the cycle of human trafficking.
To schedule an interview with Betty McDowell about the life-affirming services provided to human trafficking victims by pregnancy centers and Heartbeat International’s resources that support them, call 614-885-7577.
For more information on Heartbeat International go to HeartbeatInternational.org and find Heartbeat on Facebook and Twitter.
About Heartbeat International: Heartbeat International is the largest network of pro-life pregnancy help in the world, with over 2,800 affiliated locations in more than 60 countries. Heartbeat's mission is to Reach and Rescue as many lives as possible, around the world, through an effective network of life-affirming pregnancy help, to Renew communities for LIFE in order to achieve their vision of making abortion unwanted today and unthinkable for future generations.
Pregnancy Help Podcast
Welcome to Pregnancy Help Podcast where we tackle large issues affecting the pregnancy help community through weekly conversations with experts around the country.
Powered by Heartbeat International, we bring Pregnancy Help News alive with podcasts featuring a variety of topics designed to help strengthen and educate the pregnancy help network.
Click on any of the episodes below to listen and subscribe to the Pregnancy Help Podcast to automatically receive the latest episodes downloaded to your computer or portable device. (Available in your favorite podcast feed.)
9 Things You Should Know About Pregnancy Help Organizations
You may have heard them referred to as “crisis pregnancy centers,” “fake clinics” or worse. But what is the real story on pregnancy help organizations (PHO), the best-kept secret in the pro-life movement?
1. PHOs are committed to true reproductive health care. Offering a spectrum of medical services that range from free pregnancy tests and no-cost ultrasounds to STI testing, Natural Family Planning education, and even perinatal hospice, PHOs approach pregnancy and sexuality not like an illness that needs to be cured, but as a gift to be understood and celebrated.
2. PHOs save thousands of babies in America every week. An estimated 1 million babies are aborted annually in the United States alone, a rate of more than 3,200 each day. Heartbeat International’s nearly 2,000 U.S. affiliated locations—which compose about half of all PHOs in the country—combine to rescue 3,000 babies every week, as women and families make the courageous decision to preserve the lives of their children.
Note: 1 million abortions is an estimate because two states (California and Maryland) don’t require abortion providers to report numbers, while reporting is voluntary in New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C. More than 50 million babies are aborted every year worldwide.
3. PHOs perform a wide range of functions and offer a variety of services to the community. Some PHOs offer pregnancy tests and limited ultrasound but focus their energies on peer counseling, material assistance, and educational programs like motherhood/fatherhood or job skills training. Others offer more extensive medical services, including STI testing, prenatal care, abortion pill reversal, fertility care, and well-woman care. Still others house pregnant women during pregnancy and into the early stages of motherhood. Finally, adoption agencies work with women looking to entrust their babies to the care of adoptive parents. About the only shape or size PHOs don’t come in is the cartoonish fake clinics depicted by radical pro-abortion supporters.
4. PHOs offer long-term support and services. While PHOs no doubt focus on a woman who is pregnant, the care doesn’t end in the delivery room. Many centers offer motherhood and fatherhood mentoring programs, as well as “Earn While You Learn” incentive programs, which reward a mother with material goods such as diapers, clothes, and bottles to support her family.
5. PHOs care for a mother and a child. The term, “woman-centered” sums up a PHO’s approach to reaching out and caring for a mother-to-be. PHOs are careful to keep in mind the multifaceted harm done by abortion to women and families, and many offer abortion recovery programs. PHO staff and volunteers learn to listen to a woman and learn her story before helping her to see her options and consider the effect her present decision will have on her life in years to come.
6. PHOs existed before Roe v. Wade. By the time Roe v. Wade made abortion-on-demand the law of the land in the landmark ruling January 22, 1973, at least 130 pregnancy help organizations (including 11 in Canada and one in New Zealand) were collected in a book called the Directory. This was the forerunner to the Heartbeat International Worldwide Directory Desk Reference, which now contains more than 7,000 entries.
7. PHOs are being planted and established in every corner of the globe. Reflecting the worldwide presence of both the church and the tragedy of abortion, Christ-centered PHOs are on the rise in every inhabited continent. Most of these centers are spearheaded by nationals, some of which are active in creative or restricted-access countries for Christian missionaries.
8. PHOs are financed entirely by donations and grants—with few exceptions. Unlike highly profitable abortion businesses that prey upon vulnerable women and families, PHOs keep the lights on and staff their life-saving ministries with funds given by individuals, churches, foundations, and other groups. While some PHOs do receive limited government funds, these funds are designated for specific initiatives geared to bring abstinence and choices education to settings such as public schools.
9. PHOs offer an unparalleled opportunity for relational evangelism. Staff and volunteers at PHOs enjoy a unique opening for the spread of the gospel. Sitting across from a young woman in the throes of perhaps her most trying time, life and death hang in the balance—the life of her baby and the trajectory of her life, though she may not fully appreciate that reality at the time. She needs a thoroughly gospel-saturated response, pairing a Christ-centered offer of hope with a real-world commitment to walk alongside another.
