Miscellaneous
Faith and Noah's Story
When Faith first came to her local pregnancy help center, she was not a mother in crisis. Unexpectedly pregnant at 21, she was beside herself with joy.
“In fact, I was excited to be a mother for the first time,” she would later tell a roomful of supporters at a fundraiser for the Pregnancy Resource Center of Rolla in Missouri.
But as others’ criticisms came crashing in, she soon found herself mired in negativity.
“You’re too young to have a baby.” “This is going to ruin your life because you’ll have to drop out of college.” “This is a mistake.”
The most gut-wrenching one of all came from her baby’s father, the very man she planned to marry: “Abort this baby and we’ll try again after we’re married.”
“I felt betrayed, alone, confused, discouraged, hopeless,” she said. “I was left traumatized. Without the support I needed to succeed as a mother, I believed I was bound to fail.”
But Faith wasn’t alone. Not by a long shot.
“I knew I needed help to sort this all out and I knew where I could find it,” she said. “I went back to the PRC, but this time I was a mother in crisis. They spoke truth to my situation. They told me I was not alone, that whatever I needed they would help me get. And that’s exactly what they did.”
Like thousands of pregnancy help centers across the country, the PRC of Rolla provides a myriad of services to families in need, all free of charge. As a pregnancy help medical clinic, they offer pregnancy tests, obstetrical ultrasounds, pregnancy options counseling, and more.
Two months later, when Faith became homeless, the PRC of Rolla came through yet again. This time, they connected her to their partner organization, St. Raymond’s Society, a transitional home for pregnant and newly parenting women.
Within three days, Faith moved in.
“This was the turning point in my life,” she said. “I was given this golden opportunity to become the person God created me to be and I took full advantage of it."
Jane Dalton, the center’s client services director and program director for St. Raymond’s Society, encouraged Faith through it all.
“In less than a year, I went from a homeless, pregnant, part-time waitress to a breastfeeding mom, a college graduate employed in my field of study with a 401k, a business owner, and most importantly, I became a baptized Christian,” Faith said.
Fast forward to 2019, Faith and her son Noah went to Capitol Hill as part of Heartbeat International’s Babies Go to Congress. While there, they shared with lawmakers what pregnancy help has meant to them over the last couple of years.
In 2022, pregnancy help centers all across the country served nearly one million clients just like Faith. That's an estimated community cost savings of $358 million, according to a report from the Charlotte Lozier Institute.
As amazing as these findings are, Babies Go to Congress brings senators and representatives face-to-face with the real lives impacted and saved by this work.
Today, Faith is happily married with two additional children. With Noah by her side, Faith carries the ultimate testament to the work of pregnancy help centers all across the country and around the world.
Brittany and Nathaniel's Story
From Susie Muller, Nurse Manager
I became the nurse manager at Foothills Pregnancy Resource Center a little over two years ago. My background was almost six years in Labor and Delivery and Mother/Baby Care Unit at Queen of the Valley Hospital in West Covina.
I can still remember the day that my very first client came into the office. This client, Brittany, came in for a pregnancy test. She was 19 and in a relationship with her boyfriend, Daniel. Her pregnancy test came back positive. I asked her how she felt about that and she immediately burst into tears and said that she hadn’t told anyone as she was scared she would be kicked out of her home. I felt the pressure to be that person that she needed in that moment, but with zero experience, I knew that I might fall short. I listened to her fears and told her that we would walk through this together.
The first thing I shared with her is that I have seven daughters of my own. If one of them came to me and said, “I am pregnant” my immediate reaction would be disappointment. Moms have dreams of their daughters meeting the right man, walking down the aisle in a white dress, being able to clearly make the decision that this is the man with who she wants to spend the rest of life without the pressure of a baby clouding the decision. It would have taken me time as a mother to process all that.
One thing I know for certain, though, is that I love my daughters and I would love my grandchild. I encouraged her to truly think about how her mom might feel and give her the time she needed.
I asked her if she had any other support and having none, I reassured her that Foothills Pregnancy Resource Center was there for that exact reason. We come alongside young women and men to support them in any way they need.
Brittany and I discussed her pregnancy options; abortion was not an option and she was not interested in adoption. I assured her that if she chose to carry, we would help with resources, parenting classes, mentoring, and any other ways we could.
Women need to know all their options so that they can make an informed decision. We prayed together and she told me she felt a huge burden lifted.
Ultimately, Brittany’s mother received the news well and supported her the best she could. Mother to her little boy Nathanial, Brittany is a part-time student, working and expecting her second child with Daniel.
Since that first visit, she has come back to volunteer her time for Foothills Pregnancy Resource Center and shares her story to encourage others who may be in a similar situation.
Elisa and Lissy's Story
Let me begin by introducing myself, Elisa, as a strong, independent woman who is not one to ask for help. But when I relocated to a new city as a single parent of a new infant, I started to feel overwhelmed. I reached out for help after realizing that raising a baby while also trying to complete school was a bit more than I could manage on my own at that given moment in my life. I was surprised when I was referred to Blue Water Pregnancy Care Center. Although I was no longer pregnant, I was informed that they might still be able to assist with my needs.
My initial feelings of anxiety upon walking through the doors of the center quickly vanished as I took in the calm and inviting environment. The staff and volunteers assisting me with my concerns exhibited nothing but sincere kindness, compassion and professionalism. My various interactions with staff made it evident to me that they had a true passion and dedication to their mission.
I was offered to participate in their Earn While You Learn program. This offers individuals a chance to engage in prenatal classes, parenting classes, bible study, and/or educational DVDs in exchange for baby bucks to purchase a wide variety of baby items such as formula, diapers, car seats, strollers, etc. In addition to the knowledge and spiritual growth I have been able to obtain through participation in the program, I have earned an abundance of supplies for my daughter. Because of the assistance I have received from the center, I did not have to utilize other resources for childcare, and have managed to attend school full-time from home while raising my daughter.
I am just one of countless women and men who have been helped in some way by the Blue Water Pregnancy Care Center. For those women and/or couples who are feeling scared as they are faced with the challenges ahead, the center can be a source of immeasurable support and comfort. A wide array of support services include the following: free pregnancy testing, free limited ultrasounds, physical, emotional and spiritual support, information on pregnancy and abortion alternatives, confidential peer counseling… and so much more!
When I think back to a year ago and the doubts I had about attending my first appointment at the center, I feel nothing but encouraged. I have attended the center on a weekly basis. And not for what I had initially started there for! I go to learn, grow spiritually, continue healthy established relationships, and to be an encouragement for other attendees. The Blue Water Pregnancy Care Center has impacted my life on so many positive levels. The staff and volunteers have such a warm, welcoming love for life. I will be forever grateful for each and every one of them.
Brittany and Noah's Story
I am 22 years old and March of 2016 my entire life was flipped upside down. At the time, I was taking pre-pharmacy classes, finishing up my junior year. I was still involved with a guy I dated for 2 years. We had broken up a while back, but I still “loved” him and continued hanging out with him and sleeping with him, in hopes that maybe one day he would want me back (he didn’t).
I was with my ex-boyfriend when I took the pregnancy test. Seeing that test read “Pregnant 1-2 weeks” was the beginning of a huge change in my life. I immediately showed him the test and we both began to cry. All these mixed emotions and thoughts start flooding my head “I am only 21 years old. I am still in school. I still have a life that I want to finish before having a child.”
I’m going to be honest; my first response was to get an abortion. I would go in, it would be a quick procedure and I’ll never have to think about this pregnancy. The ex was relieved with my decision and began looking up clinics nearby for more information. Throughout that day I thought more about my decision, contemplating between having an abortion or not. I did research on abortion and the mental effects of having an abortion. The “famous” PlannedParenthood.org definition of abortion using vacuum aspiration is “dilating the uterus, and using a small, hand-held suction device or suction machine to take the pregnancy tissue out of your uterus.” My own definition of this is killing your child. There’s no way to sugar coat it; an abortion is a procedure where you terminate the life of your child. If I did this, it would not be a quick fix. This is a life changing procedure that would haunt me for the rest of my life.
I went to my ex later that week and told him about my change in decision. He tried changing my mind with the typical concerns people have with an unexpected pregnancy. “Our life will be over if you have this baby. We’re still in school. A baby isn’t a part of our plan right now.” I stayed firm with my decision. God doesn’t make mistakes and I knew there was some reason God decided to get me pregnant before I was ready. My ex finally suggested going to a pregnancy center to explore our options. The next week we went to Hand of Hope pregnancy center.
All the staff members are committed to helping women, as well as their unborn babies. Right when I walked in I felt a sense of relief. These women were here to help me make the best decision for me. One of the counselors sat down and talked to us about the pregnancy. One of the first things they did was showed me a bible verse from Jeremiah 1:5, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” They assured me that this baby was not a mistake. God had planned this baby to come during this period of my life. God had even made plans for the growing baby inside me. God loved me so much that he gave me the amazing gift of a child. He trusted me to be a mother to this baby, whether I planned to be a mother or not.
After talking with the counselor, we went into a room to get an ultrasound. The ultrasound screen showed a tiny grey area which was my baby. The biggest thing I noticed during this was that inside my baby was a strong heartbeat, flickering on the screen. I was only 6 weeks pregnant at the time. Yes, my baby not yet looked like a baby on the ultrasound screen, but there was strong heartbeat, that you could easily see, flickering on the screen. That heartbeat of life that God gave me and trusted me to take care of, love, and eventually raise. I saw true love for the first time on that ultrasound screen.
The last day of exams, right before I went home for the summer, the ex and I sat down with his mother. I will never forget one of the last things she said to me “If you choose to keep this baby, just know that will be the most selfish thing to do.” Starting to already fall in love with this growing baby, I was heartbroken.
Communication between my ex and me ended that day. Reality set in that I’m going to be a single mom. My child may never know who his dad is. But I knew that with my parents support, my son Noah would have the necessities and I could give him a good life.
Three weeks before his due date, on November 24, 2016, Thanksgiving Day, my beautiful, 7 pound 10 oz. healthy, baby boy arrived. At 3:24 pm, I met my true love. An innocent human being that I had created and had the honor of bringing into the world. I wouldn’t change my decision for anything.
This boy has changed my life. Having this baby was the best thing that ever happened to me. My child has pushed me to be the best mom I can be. He has pushed me to go back to school in order to give him the best life possible. My plans in attending pharmacy school went as planned. I am currently in pharmacy school now, with my precious baby turning a year-old next month.
I hope my story helps other women out there that may be in the situation I was in. You may feel alone and scared. Remember that God doesn’t make mistakes. A baby is a gift that shouldn’t be taken for granted.
Giselle – Saved by a Second Choice
By the time Giselle entered the world in early December, she arrived fully equipped with her own protective detail of three older brothers. They’re old enough to know their sister is a precious addition to their family, but they’re years away from understanding just how priceless she is.
What Giselle’s brothers will learn in time was that their mother, Samantha, was abandoned by Giselle’s father and turned to a chemical abortion pill because she felt it was her only way forward.
But regret set in almost as soon as Samantha had taken the first of two chemical abortion pills—which ends a baby’s life in utero ahead of the second and final pill to induce labor. Samantha changed her mind and reached out to the Abortion Pill Rescue helpline (1-877-558-0333).
Through the helpline, Samantha was connected to one of 450 professional healthcare providers in the nationwide Abortion Pill Rescue network. These providers are trained in a life-saving protocol that starts with an emergency injection of progesterone used since the 1950s to prevent miscarriages. It is highly effective.
Samantha’s daughter, Giselle, was born Dec. 1, 2017—an event celebrated all month by the pregnancy center in Massachusetts, where Samantha had learned about the life-saving option before going in for her abortion appointment.
“For those who have been following along with the story of Sam, and the miracle of Abortion Pill Reversal, we are so excited to introduce her little girl, Giselle,” the pregnancy center posted in early December. “Born Friday, December 1st at 2:00 p.m. 6lb 3oz, 18 3/4 in. Both mom and baby are in perfect health and doing wonderfully. And her 3 older brothers are completely smitten with their new sister!”
Heartbeat took a bold step in bringing APR into our life-saving network. It is a powerful and effective tool in bringing a second choice to moms and babies!
Saving Tig's Life . . . Again.
Misdy found herself in a situation where the only “practical solution” pointed to an abortion. She had six kids, a troubled marriage, and had just started a new job to help make ends meet. The news of a pregnancy was overwhelming and she justified taking the abortion pill.
As soon as Misdy took the first dose of the abortion pill regimen, she knew she had made a horrible mistake.
“The drive home, I was just sick about what I just did and the thought that I was actually killing a baby with a heartbeat inside me. I went home and just cried and cried and knew I needed to seek help.”
With God’s provision, she found the Abortion Pill Rescue Network and was able to make a second choice to save her pregnancy.
And God saved Tig.
God uses these moments when the world seems to fall around you to help enlighten you to the fact that the only “practical solution” isn’t practical at all! Just as God used his angels to encourage Mary in her time of need and sent her to her cousin Elizabeth for additional support through her pregnancy, so too, He uses the Abortion Pill Rescue Network and pregnancy help centers to encourage women like Misdy.
“I know that Tig was sent here to me for a reason. He is the light and the best baby ever! He puts a smile on my face every single day.”
Through Heartbeat’s Abortion Pill Rescue Network, Misdy was able to save the life of her baby boy, Tig, after first making the choice to take the abortion pill.
And, yet, the fight was not over.
At her 19 week prenatal appointment, Misdy learned that her child had Trisomy 21—Down syndrome, the most common chromosomal condition in the United States. As doctors shared this news with her, one doctor in particular encouraged Misdy to go back down the dark path she had already roamedand attempt to abort her child a second time.
You see, in today’s culture, value for the sick has diminished to such a degree that recommendations to abort are fairly common among medical providers around the world. Studies show that somewhere between 67 and 90 percent of babies diagnosed with Down syndrome are aborted. In countries like Iceland, that figure is close to 100 percent.
These precious children should not be disregarded as glitches in our world, but rather celebrated for the life of joy they bring to it!
When Misdy’s doctor suggested an abortion, she broke down and cried.
“My first thought was, ‘You don't know how hard it's been to stay pregnant,’” she wrote. “How could I even think of doing it now? He was a baby with hands and feet and a heartbeat that I got to see once a week on ultrasound.”
Again, Misdy would be justified by her doctors for making an abortion decision. It would be the “practical solution.”
But again, Misdy chose to fight for her son’s life.
Misdy was given a second chance at pregnancy through the Abortion Pill Rescue Network and now understood that God has a plan for each and every one of His children. While every “practical solution” pointed her to an abortion, Misdy knew that she had a life inside her and that her child’s life has purpose.
So Misdy chose life… TWICE!
“It was hard to hear that there was something wrong with my baby,” she wrote. “No mother ever wants to hear there is something wrong. BUT what I have come to understand (is) that there is nothing wrong with my baby. He is perfect and he brings such joy to my home.”
Though life is not always easy, Misdy has never regretted fighting for Tig, just as God will never stop fighting for each one of His children.
Pregnancy Help Appreciation Week Videos
. . . . .
Bernadette Tasy, Alliance Defending Freedom
Amy Ford, Embrace Grace
Jeanne Mancini
Kristan Watson, Students for Life
Robyn Chambers - Focus on the Family
Bernadette Tasy - Alliance Defending Freedom
Melissa Ohden - Abortion Survivors Network
Eric Scheidler - Pro-Life Action League
Jeanne Mancini - March for Life
Sarah Gabel Seifert - EveryLife
Kristan Hawkins - Students for Life
. . . . .
Like these? Check out videos from past Pregnancy Help Appreciation Weeks. You are loved. And the work you do is admired.
And don't forget to check out the deals of the day and share the love on social media!
Podcast Resources
Thank you for listening to the Pregnancy Help Podcast—Another way Heartbeat International connects you to the Pregnancy Help Community. Subscribe today!
Here you will find resources mentioned within the various podcasts.
What is the Abortion Pill Rescue Network? (10/09/2018)
The Abortion Pill Rescue Network (APRN) gives women a second chance to choose life for her baby. With more than 500 lives saved since 2012, it is important for pregnancy centers to understand what it is and how it works. Join Heartbeat International Medical Specialist and APR Coordinator Christa Brown, BSN, RN, as she walks us through the process to provide a better understanding.
Additional Resources:
- Episode Notes
- AbortionPillReversal.com
- Pregnancy Help Organizations: Join the Abortion Pill Rescue Network
- Medical Professionals: Join our Medical Network
Pregnancy Center Life Launch Grant (09/24/2018)
Maternity Homes and the Pregnancy Center Service Report (09/14/2018)
Using the Pregnancy Center Services to Connect with Politicians (09/12/2018)
- Episode Notes
- Pregnancy Center Service Report
- Babies Go to Congress
- Webinar: Public Speaking Anxiety
- (Affiliates Only) Guidelines for Political Activities of Not-for-Profit Organizations
- (Affiliates Only) Community Impact Report Example
5 Action Items Following Pregnancy Center Service Report (09/11/2018)
- Download Kirk's recommended 10 Takeaways for use with your community.
- Pregnancy Center Service Report
Trauma Informed Care (series began 08/20/2018)
For news within the Pregnancy Help Community as it happens, subscribe to both PregnancyHelpNews.com and the Pregnancy Help Podcast.
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L.O.V.E. Approach - A simple, memorable, life-saving guide that is used in pregnancy help centers every day, but can be used anywhere by everyone.
10 Things - You can help make abortion unwanted today and unthinkable for future generations by what you say and do!
Option Line Brochure - Learn more about Heartbeat's 24/7 lifesaving emergency contact center, Option Line.
Heartbeat International Annual Report - Discover all Heartbeat is able to accomplish to save innocent lives this year!
Pioneer Booklet - Check out the ways Heartbeat is a leader in innovation in the pregnancy help community.
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Paula's Story
Hand of Hope Pregnancy Resource Center is a place that changed the direction of my life, forever. I was a junior in high school, 17 years of age, when I found myself in the bathroom starring down at a positive pregnancy test. I couldn’t believe it, I took another test, and then another, all positive. I was very shaken, to the core, with no idea what to do next. My boyfriend was extremely supportive from the very beginning, but we were still teenagers with no clue of what raising a child might look like. That is when a friend told us about Hand of Hope Pregnancy Resource Center. Hand of Hope is a place where mothers of unexpected pregnancies receive counseling, guidance, and help with providing supplies for the baby. The most important aspect of the Pregnancy Center wasn’t all of the things that I just listed though, it was the fact that these volunteers shared with every woman, or couple, that they encountered the gospel of Christ. When I first walked into Hand of Hope I expected to be judged for the position that I found myself in, but instead I was embraced, and loved. Little did I know then, how much walking into those doors would still be impacting my life four years later.
As my boyfriend and I attended Hand of Hope the volunteer counselors taught us what to expect with our new baby, how to parent biblically, they counseled us in our relationship with each other, and they shared the gospel with us. My boyfriend and I were both already saved (though clearly living in sin at the time), so they helped us sort through the guilt and shame that came from our sin while reassuring us that our child was not a punishment, but a blessing. Ultimately they taught us how to seek God in every aspect of our lives. They walked with me and Chris (my boyfriend) every step of the way through my pregnancy and even after I had our daughter. They showed us the love of Christ at a time when we felt so far from God and his plan for our lives.
In 2014 Chris and I were married at the courthouse in our hometown. In part, because we knew from our counseling at Hand of Hope, that the right thing to do was to get married and provide a stable home for our little girl. We loved each other dearly, and through Christ we were able to be a Godly example of love to our child. I began to pray that God would lead me to where he wanted me to be, and I felt a continuous tug on my heart to return to the pregnancy center, but this time to give back. So I set up a meeting with the director, Tonya, and we caught up on what had been going on in my life and what I felt God was calling me to do. It was then that I shared with her that I wanted to go to school and become a pregnancy center counselor.
Tonya then shared with me that Hand of Hope knew of a scholarship opportunity to offer one four year scholarship to Regent University to a former client of a pregnancy center (out of 1,200 pregnancy centers). Tonya suggested that I apply for this scholarship so that I could be at a Christian university, which was my dream, but very unaffordable with a toddler at home. I was so excited to hear this, and slightly relieved that I could possibly receive help paying for school. At the time I kind of put the idea in the back of my mind and moved on.
My husband and I then began praying that God would bless us with another child. Around my 20th birthday, in 2014, we found out that we were expecting! We were beyond excited at the little blessing we had received and could not wait to welcome this baby into the world. I was about nine weeks pregnant when it began, the sickness, weakness, and I just knew something wasn’t right. We rushed to the doctor to make sure everything was okay, and as she touched that cold gel to my belly, I was terrified as to what we were about to find out. I just knew that she wouldn’t be able to find the heartbeat, and I was prepared for my heart to break in two. Then I heard a loud, thump, thump, thump, thump, and the nurse, “Looks like we have a very strong heartbeat here.” My face flushed with relief. That wasn’t the end of it though. The doctor informed us that I was at risk for miscarriage and I needed to take it easy. Later that night as I laid my two year old to bed, I was greeted with what I feared was coming. Just one gush and a run to the bathroom, and I was holding my nine week baby, looking right into his eyes. There are simply no words to describe the grief and then sudden peace that I felt. My baby was with Jesus now, though I wanted him with me, he was with Jesus.
On the way to the hospital that night I told my husband, “You know God did this for a reason, and I think that he just made it very clear to me what he wants me to do.” In the midst of the horror and grief I was feeling, all I could think about were the moms who are post abortive. The hurt and pain they must feel has to be overwhelming. I knew that through this experience God was preparing my heart to enter into the pregnancy center ministry, to be able to reach not just expectant mothers but post-abortive mothers as well. God broke my heart in order to wake me up to the reality of abortion and the enemy we are fighting.
I was then determined to go to school and do what God was telling me to do. I began speaking for Hand of Hope at fundraising events, and volunteering at any event that I could. Tonya helped me to prepare my scholarship submission for Regent, and I began praying desperately that God would see me through this. If I would be able to attend a Christian university, it would be because God provided it. In August 2015, just one week after what would have been my due date for my second baby, Tonya called me in to her office telling me that she wanted me to shoot a video for a fundraising banquet. We began videoing while she asked me a few questions about why Hand of Hope was important to me. At the end of the video she asks me the question, “What would you say if I told you that you won the Regent scholarship?” It took a minute for me to soak in what she had just asked me, and then, “Are you serious?” seemed to be the only words that would come out of mouth. My face turned a bright pink, and my heart was pounding. “I am so serious, you won the scholarship!” Tonya said. Wow, what a blessing! I was in such shock. God surely has a way of redeeming our sorrowful moments and days. He takes our deepest hurts and pains and uses them for his glory! God blessed me immensely through this entire experience.
This was just the beginning of this new chapter in my life. After winning the scholarship, I began speaking at churches and sharing my testimony of choosing life and receiving help from Hand of Hope. I was able to share with others God’s grace and mercy in my life. Through my child, God gave my husband and myself a second chance at life. I’ve received so many kind words, and prayers as I have begun my school and as I embrace this journey. Sharing my testimony with others truly blesses me more than people may realize. I feel honored that God chose a sinner like me to pour blessings upon and use as a voice for life in the Pro-Life movement.
Last year I was invited to speak at Hand of Hope’s annual fundraising banquet to share my testimony with over a thousand people in attendance! Not only that, but I would also be opening for the famous quarterback, Tim Tebow’s mother, Pam. Pam became known for being Pro-Life after her Pro-Life football ad aired during a super bowl half time show several years ago. She now goes around to pregnancy resource center banquets sharing her story of choosing life for Tim, despite doctor’s advice to abort. I felt like I was dreaming, to have the chance to not only share my testimony, but to share it while opening for someone like Pam was a true blessing. She was the absolute sweetest lady I have ever met, and her words were so inspiring. After the banquet she came to me and said, “I will never forget you or your family.” I thought to myself ME? I will never forget this opportunity and getting to meet such an amazing woman.
Sometimes I sit back and think that without my daughter, and without being directed to Hand of Hope four years ago, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I wouldn’t be the person that I am today, and I don’t even know if God would have been able to get a hold of my heart the way he has. I wouldn’t be writing this paper right now, and I would not have had any of these amazing opportunities. It makes my heart well up with joy. The goodness, and the faithfulness of God when we choose life, and through all of our experiences we choose it abundantly. You can see his goodness in every journey I have been on since walking into the doors of Hand of Hope. Before my daughter I was headed down a very bad path in life, but her life has given me new life in Christ. It changed the entire direction that my life was headed in and for that I could not be more thankful.
Nadya's Story
When she found out she was pregnant, she was terrified. Nadya was living at a house share with 6 other strangers, with community kitchen, living space, etc. She knew this wasn’t an environment where she could raise a baby, and she wasn’t sure she could raise a baby at all. She came to the Women’s Center - Lebanon for an appointment. She remembers the nurse sharing ultrasound pictures, and leading her through the process of finding care providers, and setting up health care coverage. She was no longer covered under her parent’s insurance.
She left that day feeling very uneasy and scared. She did consider other options. It was coming down to ending that life, or continuing it. Nadya made an appointment with Planned Parenthood. She went to the 1st of two scheduled appointments, paid her fee, and heard lots of stories from the other women in the waiting room. She kept the next appointment, although she didn’t want to .
She found that she couldn’t sleep well the night before, when she got up in the morning, she couldn’t move. Even though she had so much on
her mind, and wasn’t sure how she was going to do it, she just could not go to the appointment. She describes it as a huge weight off of her shoulders, a sigh of relief came over her.
She continued to receive follow up calls from the Women’s Center, helping her throughout the pregnancy and offering services. She was told everything was going to be okay, and she had much time to think things through. She arrived at a point of understanding. As soon as her baby was born, there was an instant connection.
Kelsey's Story
I am 21, a senior here at Missouri S&T majoring in business and I’m scheduled to graduate in December. I come from a largely catholic family and the rest of my family who is not catholic is still pro-life, so on April 4, 2016, if anyone had asked me if I were to ever consider getting an abortion I would have immediately responded with no. On April 5, if they were to ask that same question, I would have had to take a lot more time to come up with that answer and even then, I’m not sure exactly what I would have said.
That day, I took my first two pregnancy tests, both of which came back positive. After the first test, I was just hoping for a false positive, as slim as the chances were. After the second, I didn’t even cry, I couldn’t cry. My emotions basically stopped in their tracks. Maybe it was just my brain still processing it, but I didn’t know how to react to that test telling me I was pregnant and 2-3 weeks pregnant at that. I immediately contacted the man who is now the father of my children and we ended up meeting that night to talk about what had happened, where things went wrong, and where we were going to go from there. I don’t remember much about that night because I finally allowed myself to cry and feel all of my emotions, but I do remember his only suggestion and that was abortion.
The next day, I was on the internet for a long time researching planned parenthood and everything about it and trying to find out costs, but came across the Pregnancy Resource Center in a google search and after reading about free pregnancy tests and free ultrasounds, I decided to make an appointment for the following day.
I still remember vividly my first appointment at PRC with Pam. We made it through her list of questions, barely from the amount of crying I was doing on my part, and I took a pregnancy test which of course came back positive. When speaking about my options, I remember telling her there was no way I could take care of a baby. I was still in college and had so many opportunities ahead of me. This wasn’t supposed to happen to me. My parents had raised me in a manner so that I didn’t end up pregnant at 21 like my mom had been with me and here I was, pregnant at 21. Honestly, I felt like a failure in that moment. I told Pam that I don’t think I had any other choice other than abortion, and the father had also been pushing it. But it was so hard to fathom that decision because I’ve always identified with the pro-life stance and should my family ever find out I got an abortion, their reactions would be anything but good. I don’t think I’d be able to be okay with myself afterward either. And as far as adoption, I couldn’t even consider it because I know I’d be too selfish to give up a baby I gave birth to. So here I was contradicting myself, telling Pam I couldn’t take care of a baby myself, but couldn’t be okay with myself if I had an abortion, but also wouldn’t be able to consider adoption. At the end of the appointment I remember her telling me to just take the time to think about my options and wait until I can get an ultrasound with Jane to make any decisions.
After I left that day, I went home and researched abortion as thoroughly as I could, and continued to put it to the back burner anytime the father brought it up to me. Fast forward to May 11th and I had my first ultrasound appointment with Jane. It took her a very short time to find the baby, and once she had, she pointed to something up on the screen and asked me if I knew what it was. I had never seen an ultrasound that early, so I had absolutely no clue and told her that. She then proceeded to tell me it was another sac, and there was two babies, not one. At that very moment, I’m pretty sure my heart stopped, my jaw dropped to the floor, and my eyes got as big as they could. I was freaking out about just one baby, and now my worries were doubled. Her and Pam were so excited for me and told me how twins were such a blessing and told me the rest of my family was going to be so excited especially now that there are two. I was still in shock the rest of the appointment, but remember hearing the babies’ heartbeats for the first time. It was an indescribable moment for me, and I believe it was the moment I unconsciously decided I could never get an abortion. When I left that day, I was still numb, but Jane booked me for another ultrasound a week later. I continued to return a few more times to the PRC for ultrasounds, and I began getting more and more excited for each appointment to see how the twins were growing. It amazed me how quickly they were growing in such a short time. All throughout this time, Pam and Jane were so excited for me and it was reassuring to have someone excited for me because at this point they were the only people who knew about my pregnancy other than the twins’ father. Pam sent text messages checking in on me, and it was so nice having someone there for me when I felt like no one would be there. It took a long time for my parents to find out about my pregnancy because I was terrified to tell them. It was even the anger I was afraid about; it was the sheer disappointment I knew they’d have.
It wasn’t until 14 or 15 weeks until my mom found out about my pregnancy. So, to have that support from Pam and Jane up until then and even past that point was so essential for me. At my 20-week anatomy scan at Mercy, my mom, sister and I found out both twins were girls. The first people I wanted to tell after I found out was Pam and Jane, so we headed to PRC right after my appointment so I could tell them. Pam was the only one there that day, but she told me she was excited and she would share the news with Jane. 8 weeks later, I finally announced my pregnancy to the rest of my friends and family who took the news wonderfully. Everyone was so excited for me, just like Jane and Pam told me they would be. If it weren’t for PRC and the continued support I received there, there’s a good chance I would have given into pressure from the twins’ father and went to Planned Parenthood to talk about my options and rather than just being a thought it my head, abortion may have been an actual option I was considering for my pregnancy. I may have been currently having to go through therapy rather than up here talking about my wonderful experience with PRC.
On November 4th I gave birth to my perfect baby girls, Izabella and Brielle. I was in love from the moment I laid eyes on both of them. The girls recently turned 4 months old and are growing quicker than I can keep up with. They are such a blessing to my life, and bring so much joy to myself and the rest of my family. I thank God often for my girls and for PRC who saved me and my pregnancy.
