Most anxious, pregnant young women turn first to the Web for answers about their unplanned pregnancy – in the U.S. there are 6 million Web abortion-related searches every month! In response, Vision for Life is working with pro-life Web marketing specialists, and pro-life pregnancy medical centers belonging to two local organizations, Choices Pregnancy Services and Women's Choice Network.
We use Google advertising to generate calls and e-mails to these centers, and keep track of the number each month. So we know, for example, that our 2013 media campaign of Internet and television ads increased the number of appointments at several local pregnancy medical centers by 20 percent, and that, from September 2015 to August 2016, our ads appeared over 300,000 times in response to Google searches for “abortion” and related terms, and generated 1,165 contacts with the pregnancy medical centers. In March 2017 our Search Engine Optimization work helped lead to the highest number of new clients monthly in the history of Women's Choice Network.
We also advertise to women and men on Facebook, from the pages, "Pittsburgh Choices," "Choose Together - Pittsburgh," and "Unexpected." In 2015, our ads generated on average 15 calls a month to pregnancy medical centers, and most women 14 to 26 in Allegheny County have seen our ads.
In 2018, the last year for which we have statistics, there were 30,364 abortions performed on Pennsylvania residents. Many people would be surprised to learn that 62 percent of those patients had borne one child or more already. It's equally surprising that 47 percent of those abortion patients had one or more previous abortions. (First abortions have dropped 25% from 2008 to 2018, while "repeat abortions" have declined 18%. Any other business would see this as terminal decline, as first-time customers are decreasing so quickly, and repeat customers are shrinking as well.) African-Americans are about 12 percent of the population -- but they made up 43 percent of the abortions that year.
The social scientists tell us that young women engage in sexual activity at roughly the same rates, no matter their income, but poorer women conceive more often, and so they make up a larger proportion of those who seek an abortion. This means that a woman is often dependent upon others, such as a boyfriend, and that others -- the boyfriend, a boss -- may pressure her to have an abortion. It also means that she can be faced not only with emotional challenges (with hormone changes and unstable relationships), but with practical challenges, such as finding accommodation. Some boyfriends say, "It's me or the baby," and the alternative is the street.
What are the pregnancy medical centers like? They are not as big as the maternity homes of the past; in fact, they are local medical clinics. Each organization has a Medical Director; centers have Nurses and Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographers; and they offer obstetrical ultrasounds. They are staffed largely by volunteers, women and men who, as client advocates or mentors, make themselves available to the clients and the fathers of the children. All of the services offered at the clinics -- pregnancy tests, sonograms (ultrasounds), STI tests -- are free. Clients can also earn "baby bucks," tokens exchangeable for things like baby clothes, by attending educational programs for young moms at the centers. Clients are referred for legal and financial issues, adoption, housing, and other needs.
When women see their sonogram, the majority choose life. The sonogram is not enough, however: the basic need is for a low-pressure environment in which a woman can think through her situation, know what she needs in order to move ahead, and have the encouragement of someone who knows God and who cares for her. This story from Amy Scheuring of Women's Choice Network gives you an idea:
"'No one knows and no one has to know.' This was Renee’s response to her positive pregnancy test. She went on to say that her parents did not know she was even in a relationship. Renee admitted to feeling stressed by the secrets she was keeping. She continued by stating, 'I’m pro-life but it’s going to make my life much easier if I have an abortion.' The Nurse invited Renee to return a few days later to see her ultrasound.
"At the beginning of that second visit, nothing had changed - she still had her secrets, and she was still considered by the Nurse to be 'abortion-determined.' But after seeing her baby on the screen and talking through her situation again, Renee wasn’t as sure about having an abortion. She admitted that she was ready to open up to her boyfriend . . . ." [read more -- it's a happy ending!]
The following video shows why we get involved in helping pregnant women choose life.
We use Google advertising to generate calls and e-mails to these centers, and keep track of the number each month. So we know, for example, that our 2013 media campaign of Internet and television ads increased the number of appointments at several local pregnancy medical centers by 20 percent, and that, from September 2015 to August 2016, our ads appeared over 300,000 times in response to Google searches for “abortion” and related terms, and generated 1,165 contacts with the pregnancy medical centers. In March 2017 our Search Engine Optimization work helped lead to the highest number of new clients monthly in the history of Women's Choice Network.
We also advertise to women and men on Facebook, from the pages, "Pittsburgh Choices," "Choose Together - Pittsburgh," and "Unexpected." In 2015, our ads generated on average 15 calls a month to pregnancy medical centers, and most women 14 to 26 in Allegheny County have seen our ads.
In 2018, the last year for which we have statistics, there were 30,364 abortions performed on Pennsylvania residents. Many people would be surprised to learn that 62 percent of those patients had borne one child or more already. It's equally surprising that 47 percent of those abortion patients had one or more previous abortions. (First abortions have dropped 25% from 2008 to 2018, while "repeat abortions" have declined 18%. Any other business would see this as terminal decline, as first-time customers are decreasing so quickly, and repeat customers are shrinking as well.) African-Americans are about 12 percent of the population -- but they made up 43 percent of the abortions that year.
The social scientists tell us that young women engage in sexual activity at roughly the same rates, no matter their income, but poorer women conceive more often, and so they make up a larger proportion of those who seek an abortion. This means that a woman is often dependent upon others, such as a boyfriend, and that others -- the boyfriend, a boss -- may pressure her to have an abortion. It also means that she can be faced not only with emotional challenges (with hormone changes and unstable relationships), but with practical challenges, such as finding accommodation. Some boyfriends say, "It's me or the baby," and the alternative is the street.
What are the pregnancy medical centers like? They are not as big as the maternity homes of the past; in fact, they are local medical clinics. Each organization has a Medical Director; centers have Nurses and Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographers; and they offer obstetrical ultrasounds. They are staffed largely by volunteers, women and men who, as client advocates or mentors, make themselves available to the clients and the fathers of the children. All of the services offered at the clinics -- pregnancy tests, sonograms (ultrasounds), STI tests -- are free. Clients can also earn "baby bucks," tokens exchangeable for things like baby clothes, by attending educational programs for young moms at the centers. Clients are referred for legal and financial issues, adoption, housing, and other needs.
When women see their sonogram, the majority choose life. The sonogram is not enough, however: the basic need is for a low-pressure environment in which a woman can think through her situation, know what she needs in order to move ahead, and have the encouragement of someone who knows God and who cares for her. This story from Amy Scheuring of Women's Choice Network gives you an idea:
"'No one knows and no one has to know.' This was Renee’s response to her positive pregnancy test. She went on to say that her parents did not know she was even in a relationship. Renee admitted to feeling stressed by the secrets she was keeping. She continued by stating, 'I’m pro-life but it’s going to make my life much easier if I have an abortion.' The Nurse invited Renee to return a few days later to see her ultrasound.
"At the beginning of that second visit, nothing had changed - she still had her secrets, and she was still considered by the Nurse to be 'abortion-determined.' But after seeing her baby on the screen and talking through her situation again, Renee wasn’t as sure about having an abortion. She admitted that she was ready to open up to her boyfriend . . . ." [read more -- it's a happy ending!]
The following video shows why we get involved in helping pregnant women choose life.
When a woman sees her unborn child on the ultrasound screen for the first time, it's usually a surprise. One of the commonest remarks is, "I had no idea." There, before her, is visible another human being who has a claim on her love. The sonographer will point out the small, beating heart, flickering away on the screen. This is often when her mentor will offer to pray with her. It can be a pivotal time for her spiritually: perhaps for the first time in her life she will have to make some sacrifice, out of love for another, and she learns about a God who loved her first, sacrificially, too. If she is interested and has a home church, her mentor will recommend that she go back to that church; if she does not have a church, her mentor will recommend one.
Claims have been made that pregnancy help centers deceive women, posing as abortion clinics, or that they provide false information. It has been said that they pressure women to have their babies, or to convert to the Christian faith. The claims are false. When city officials from Los Angeles set out to prove by an undercover investigation that pregnancy centers there engaged in deceptive and false practices, they were disappointed. The centers in Pittsburgh (and thousands across America) subscribe to codes of ethics issued by the organizations Heartbeat International and CareNet, codes that rule out this kind of behavior. (The centers also do not counsel women on contraception, or refer them for such counseling.) The claims that the centers are "fake clinics" have been answered thoroughly at a Heartbeat International website, Pregnancy Center Truth. It is likely that many of those most hostile to the centers have themselves had abortions, and are driven by the desire to justify their past actions.
In any case, Planned Parenthood staffers in Pittsburgh, put malicious reviews on Women's Choice Network's "Google Places" page one month after a new advertising endeavor brought a record numbers of calls to one Women's Choice Network center in 2018. (Planned Parenthood is not a "full-service" women's health center: most don't do prenatal care and none do mammograms. Contraception, and especially abortion, are its focus. And selling parts of aborted babies bodies for profit is their business, too.) This local attack was not surprising: Big Abortion loses about $480 for every early abortion (and more for later ones). They did the same thing again two months later. When your adversaries attack you falsely, you must be doing something right!
Care for women does not stop at birth. One organization offers a two-year program that fosters independence and transformation. Both organizations refer women for legal and financial issues, adoption, housing, and other needs. Choices and Women's Choice Network also do abstinence education in the schools.
What of women who have had abortions? Choices Pregnancy Services has a ministry to help them find healing and forgiveness ("Healing Choices Post Abortion Recovery Group") and Women's Choice Network has a similar group called "Breathe." Vision for Life set up a Facebook page for Breathe and has done some advertising for them.
Pregnancy medical centers in Pittsburgh provide a great service, and, like most pregnancy help centers, their client-satisfaction ratings are very high. Women are grateful that the people at the centers were there, at their hour of need, and that they didn't make the mistake they might have. After all, many women regret their abortions; Who regrets having a baby?
Claims have been made that pregnancy help centers deceive women, posing as abortion clinics, or that they provide false information. It has been said that they pressure women to have their babies, or to convert to the Christian faith. The claims are false. When city officials from Los Angeles set out to prove by an undercover investigation that pregnancy centers there engaged in deceptive and false practices, they were disappointed. The centers in Pittsburgh (and thousands across America) subscribe to codes of ethics issued by the organizations Heartbeat International and CareNet, codes that rule out this kind of behavior. (The centers also do not counsel women on contraception, or refer them for such counseling.) The claims that the centers are "fake clinics" have been answered thoroughly at a Heartbeat International website, Pregnancy Center Truth. It is likely that many of those most hostile to the centers have themselves had abortions, and are driven by the desire to justify their past actions.
In any case, Planned Parenthood staffers in Pittsburgh, put malicious reviews on Women's Choice Network's "Google Places" page one month after a new advertising endeavor brought a record numbers of calls to one Women's Choice Network center in 2018. (Planned Parenthood is not a "full-service" women's health center: most don't do prenatal care and none do mammograms. Contraception, and especially abortion, are its focus. And selling parts of aborted babies bodies for profit is their business, too.) This local attack was not surprising: Big Abortion loses about $480 for every early abortion (and more for later ones). They did the same thing again two months later. When your adversaries attack you falsely, you must be doing something right!
Care for women does not stop at birth. One organization offers a two-year program that fosters independence and transformation. Both organizations refer women for legal and financial issues, adoption, housing, and other needs. Choices and Women's Choice Network also do abstinence education in the schools.
What of women who have had abortions? Choices Pregnancy Services has a ministry to help them find healing and forgiveness ("Healing Choices Post Abortion Recovery Group") and Women's Choice Network has a similar group called "Breathe." Vision for Life set up a Facebook page for Breathe and has done some advertising for them.
Pregnancy medical centers in Pittsburgh provide a great service, and, like most pregnancy help centers, their client-satisfaction ratings are very high. Women are grateful that the people at the centers were there, at their hour of need, and that they didn't make the mistake they might have. After all, many women regret their abortions; Who regrets having a baby?
