Abortion clinics and pregnancy resource centers (PRCs) both claim to provide "care" for women, but it is apparent only one type of facility provides holistic care.

Pregnancy resource centers are established to help women during their pregnancy, even if the pregnancy is a surprise or the situation is a crisis. They focus on the idea of finding a good life which suits both the mother and the preborn baby, with an emphasis on adoption. Many have counseling services for the woman in need to help with all of the mental, emotional, and physical stress which can come along with her situation.

These centers help with a wide range of situations including unplanned pregnancies, out of wedlock pregnancies, or those resulting from an abusive relationship. They are equipped to walk alongside women and help them make the right decision regarding what to do with their expected baby. Resource centers like Care Net and other local organizations are often faith-based and provide resources for prayer and scriptures in pamphlets.

According to Care Net, the most common services provided for women in need are:

Pregnancy decision coaching by trained advocates Free pregnancy tests Information about pregnancy options Material resources Post-decision support (including parenting education and abortion recovery groups) Consultation with a licensed medical professional Limited ultrasound for pregnancy confirmation Testing for sexually transmitted infections and diseases.

These centers also offer ways to qualify for government assistance if the mother decides to have and raise the baby, yet cannot currently financially support a family. Additionally, they provide resources for women in abusive relationships and alert authorities to protect the lives of the mother and her children. PRCs are life-affirming and will not provide or refer for abortion.

Organizations like Human Coalition provide Continuum of Care, where even after the child is born – they provide financial, job-training, job placement, maternity housing, and health care support.

Abortion clinics, on the other hand, provide only services revolving around the ending of the pregnancy through the killing of a mother's child.

Abortion clinics very rarely offer prenatal care or adoption services to women who may be unsure about their options and are seeking help or guidance. When a specific Planned Parenthood does not perform abortions, they refer to other clinics, or hand out dangerous abortion pills for home abortions.



These clinics do not offer counseling, financial aid, parenting classes, material aid, ultrasounds, or adoption services – all of which are crucial for pregnant women – and are provided for free at PRCs.



If abortion clinics are so important to women’s healthcare, why are their services limited only to a form of “health care” which inflicts mental and physical pain upon their patients?

If women have the "right to choose," why are these clinics not informing women of all of their choices and supporting them when making a tough decision such as keeping their baby even amidst difficult circumstances?

The vast majority of pregnancy resource centers offer all of their services completely free of charge and are non-profit. They make no money off of a pregnant woman’s decision, no matter what the mother decides. On the contrary, clinics offering abortion make the majority of their profit off of abortion procedures.



I'll leave you with this question: which type of center seems best equipped to serve, support and care for pregnant women and their preborn children?

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Human Defense Initiative.