A new report offers insight into the work of the 2,750 pro-life pregnancy resource centers in the United States, noting that together they provided nearly $367.9 million worth of services and material goods to more than 16 million clients in 2022.
The report, Hope for a New Generation, was published this month by the Charlotte Lozier Institute, Care Net, Heartbeat International, the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates, and the Option Ultrasound Program by Focus on the Family. It’s an updated version of a previously released preliminary report from December. The updated data states that in 2022, pregnancy centers assisted over 974,000 new clients and provided goods and services to women, youth, and families. This includes ultrasounds, baby gear, baby clothes, diapers, formula, health care services, and education. Over 97% of the clients served reported having a positive experience.
In addition, the report revealed that since 2019, pregnancy centers have provided a 12% increase in ultrasound services, and have seen a 41% increase in clients attending parenting classes and a 27% increase in STI testing. The number of pregnancy centers associated with a maternity home doubled from 24 to 46, and the percentage of pregnancy centers that provide ultrasounds, STI treatment, parenting classes, and “abortion pill reversal” (APR) also increased. There was a 16% increase in the number of centers offering APR from 2019 to 2022 with 27% of pregnancy centers now providing and overseeing APR.
Pregnancy centers have largely relied on volunteers, but from 2019 to 2022 there was an 18% increase in paid staff members and a 26% increase in paid medical staff members at the pro-life centers. More than a quarter of the paid staff and about 12% of volunteers now have medical licenses, and 82% of the pregnancy centers now provide medical services on site.
Dr. Michael New, senior associate scholar at Charlotte Lozier Institute, told the Catholic News Agency that there has been an increase in demand for the services provided by pro-life pregnancy centers since the overturning of Roe v. Wade in the June 2022 Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. Along with the increased demand, the centers have seen an increase in both private donations and funding from state governments. Both Ohio and Florida enacted legislation to increase their funding for pregnancy centers, and Arkansas issued funding for pregnancy centers for the first time in 2022. In 2023, Iowa, Tennessee, and West Virginia each gave funding to pregnancy centers for the first time, Kansas created a program to fund pregnancy centers, and Texas, Ohio, and Florida all increased funding as well.
“The year 2022 was challenging for pro-life pregnancy help centers,” wrote New for the National Review. “Anecdotally, many pregnancy centers saw an increase in clients and phone calls post-Dobbs. Furthermore, pro-abortion elected officials continued to introduce legislation to hinder their efforts. Even worse, after the Dobbs leak, some pregnancy help centers were even the targets of arson, vandalism, and other types of violence. However, ‘Hope for a New Generation’ shows that pregnancy help centers not only overcame these challenges but increased their own impact. Excellent news as pro-lifers continue our efforts to assist pregnant women in need.”
