Pregnancy centers provide over $350M of free services to women: report
A new report reveals that pro-life pregnancy centers provided more than $350 million worth of services and goods in 2022 as the organizations find themselves under increased scrutiny following the recent United States Supreme Court decision determining that the U.S. Constitution doesn't contain a right to abortion.
The Charlotte Lozier Institute, the research arm of the pro-life advocacy organization Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, published a report Friday, titled “Hope for a New Generation.” The report examines the goods and services provided by 2,750 pro-life pregnancy centers in the U.S. last year.
As noted in a statement released by Charlotte Lozier Institute, 2022 was the year that the U.S. Supreme Court determined in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that the U.S. Constitution does not contain a right to abortion. The ruling overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide and led to several states banning or restricting the procedure.
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Following the Dobbs decision, pro-life pregnancy centers became the target of vitriol, violence and vandalism from pro-abortion activists and politicians. “In the Dobbs era, the demands upon pregnancy centers have increased daily,” said Charlotte Lozier Institute President Chuck Donovan. “Many states are responding with new funds and new policies to support the centers’ work.”
Donovan lamented that “at the same time, new attacks are launched by violent radicals and politicians who should know better.” He added that “some would find these challenges daunting, but as our report shows, pregnancy help center leaders see in this situation new opportunities to serve generously with love and compassion for those in need.”
According to the report, the 2,750 pro-life pregnancy centers provided 16,050,312 client sessions in 2022. That figure includes both online and in-person sessions. The centers had a self-reported 97.4% positive experience and satisfaction rate among their clients.
A total of 974,965 consultations with new clients took place in 2022, which amounted to $30,165,417 worth of free services. The pro-life pregnancy centers performed a combined total of 703,835 free pregnancy tests, which had a dollar value of $6,334,515. They also provided 517,557 free ultrasounds that cost a combined $129,389,250 last year. On-site registered nurses and registered diagnostic medical sonographers provided a combined 517,557 hours of services at a cost of $21,576,951.
Additionally, the pro-life pregnancy centers administered 203,171 tests screening for sexually transmitted diseases and infections at a cost of $5,688,788. Registered nurses spent 104,559 hours meeting with clients who underwent such testing. The costs associated with their labor added up to $4,475,125.
A total of 408,301 clients attended parenting education programs, which came with a price tag of $75,796,998. 19,383 clients received support services after undergoing abortion, which cost a combined $2,998,550 to provide. The pro-life pregnancy centers also taught sexual risk avoidance courses to 619,966 students at a cost of $3,719,796.
The pro-life pregnancy centers also provided 3,590,911 packs of diapers that cost a combined $40,218,203 and distributed 1,216,438 packs of wipes worth a combined $3,649,314. The number of baby clothing outfits given away by the pro-life pregnancy centers added up to 4,256,274 and $21,281,370 worth of free goods. Some 300,008 containers of baby formula that cost $6,000,160 were donated as were 43,192 car seats with a value of $3,455,630. They also provided 23,486 new cribs worth $3,522,900, and 30,188 strollers that came with a price tag of $452,820.
The combined value of the goods and services offered at no charge to most patients amounted to $358,725,517. The data provided in the report noted that “a small percentage of medical centers charge a low-cost fee for STD/STI testing.”
The pro-life pregnancy centers examined for the report were staffed by 17,646 paid staff, 27.1% of whom were licensed medical staff. A combined total of 44,930 volunteers provided services to patients seeking assistance, 12% of whom were licensed medical volunteers. Volunteers accounted for 71.8% of all staff at the pro-life pregnancy centers.
Material items were the most commonly offered good or service at the pro-life pregnancy centers studied, as they were available at 89.2% of them. Other commonly offered goods and services at the pro-life pregnancy centers included parenting and parental education (87.7%), ultrasounds (81.9%), post-abortion support and recovery (71.8%) and sexual risk avoidance education programs for youth (49.2%).
Less commonly offered were STD/STI testing (35.8%), STD/STI treatment (28.2%), lactation and breastfeeding consults (27%), abortion pill reversals (26.8%), trained outreach to victims of trafficking (17%) and fertility awareness-based methods (11.4%). The document concluded with testimony from an unnamed Las Vegas woman about the value of the services provided at a pro-life pregnancy center.
“I was ready to give up on my baby’s life because I wasn’t emotionally or financially prepared,” she recalled. “I felt lonely and hopeless. My personal advocate spoke words of hope and encouragement. I then met with a counselor and she helped me see that I had other options and resources available. After I spoke with them both, I had a renewed confidence to keep my baby. Every time I came in for a prenatal appointment or a class, I felt so loved and supported and that continued to give me hope.”
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: [email protected]
