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The Wonderful Work of
Pregnancy Help Centers
By Dave Andrusko
 To
be honest, I came to a piece that ran yesterday at
slate.com, convinced that the chances that “What Happens
at a Pregnancy Help Center?: Tests and talking” would
have any redeeming qualities were slim and none. While I
am by no means an expert on pregnancy help centers, also
known as CPCs, and women-helping centers, it appears
Brian Palmer did a decent job.
(Those of you who
ARE experts, I’d appreciate your input. The story ran at
http://www.slate.com/id/2289147 in the “Explainer:
Answers to Your Questions about the News” column.)
The quibbles
first. Everyone who is on the other side--or just
innocently surfing the web—will see a bogus 2006 House
committee report which imputed a laundry list of sins to
“Pregnancy Resource Centers.”
It is quite true
that the National Cancer Institute insists there is no
link between an induced abortion and increasing the risk
of breast cancer. But it is no less true that there are
lots and lots and lots of studies that document there IS
a connection—for example, an increased risk of 30%. To
argue there is what Dr. Joel Brind describes as the “ABC
link” is neither “false” nor “misleading” information
(to borrow from the title of the House committee
report).
Likewise for
another example of what Palmer calls “bad medical
information”—that women having abortions “undermine
their chances to get pregnant in the future.” In fact,
as a factsheet from the NRLC Educational Department
documents, “Women having abortions face more than a
doubled risk of future sterility.”
On the other hand,
the “Explainer” helps someone new to the discussion to
realize that the 3,000 or so pregnancy help centers,
while affiliated for the most part with one of three
major organizations, are small, grassroots enterprises
with a great deal of autonomy.
For the most part
they talk to women and offer them support at a time when
many have been abandoned by the baby’s father and
perhaps by the mother’s own family.
Most are
faith-based—a true statement from Palmer. Not everyone
agrees about everything—gosh, what a surprise!
And “The move to
offer ultrasounds has been the biggest change in
pregnancy help centers over the last 20 years.” I don’t
know enough to know if that is the “biggest change,” but
having an ultrasound available on site clearly has been
a huge positive.
Finally, what
Palmer (unfortunately) dubs “certain perks” is actually
just an extension of a ministry that is dedicated to
helping women after their baby is born. “They distribute
maternity or baby clothes, basinets, or car seats to
mothers in need. They may also place clients into GED or
English classes.”
All in all, a
helpful piece about wonderful people doing marvelous
work.
I need your
feedback on both Today's News & Views and National Right
to Life News Today. Please send your comments
todaveandrusko@gmail.com.
Part Two
Part Three |
