RICHMOND
--In the halls of the Capitol of Virginia, few issues divide like abortion. Its controversy isn't isolated to Jefferson's building, but exists in homes and churches across the commonwealth. No doubt that's why it's not everyone's first choice of conversation when catching up with a neighbor, an item to be brought up right after "Do you think it's going to snow again?"Regardless of one's position on the moral or public-policy questions of abortion, there is one place that should be common ground--supporting women and young girls who find themselves in the unenviable position of having an unexpected, oft times extremely difficult unplanned pregnancy. The support women need is as varied as its sources, everything from counseling, to prenatal care, to diapers, and parenting classes.
Quite possibly the most enduring, consistent care for this population over the past two decades has been nonprofit pregnancy medical clinics and resource centers. Although each of the approximately 35 support centers across Virginia has unique attributes to meet the needs of the community in which it exists, their mission is the same: to provide compassionate care to women unprepared for pregnancy by offering resources and practical assistance.
Last year alone, this collective resource provided free, confidential help and services to more than 19,000 women in Virginia. Their services included 9,200 free pregnancy tests, 9,600 free packs of diapers, 8,000 free bags of baby clothes, 3,800 free classes on topics ranging from infant care and parenting to job search skills. In addition, 2,800 limited ultrasounds were provided free of charge by medical professionals. These and other services amounted to about $1.1 million in services and goods to women and families.
Who paid for all of this? Not the taxpayer. Instead, 13,500 individuals and 1,400 partner churches financially supported these organizations. How did those funds stretch so far? Through 1,300 volunteers logging 107,000 volunteer hours.
Pregnancy resource centers have saved the taxpayers of Virginia literally millions of dollars over their many years of existence while assisting women in need.
WHO COULD OBJECT?
So, who could possibly object to this nonprofit, privately funded, volunteer-driven, successful network of resources and compassion for women and families in crisis? Planned Parenthood and the National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia).
In an effort to paint pregnancy resource centers as dangerous, Planned Parenthood and NARAL had legislation introduced in this year's General Assembly that would have burdened these centers with unnecessary and onerous regulations.
Why the objection? Follow the money. For every woman who chooses a pregnancy resource center instead of a Planned Parenthood abortion center, it's dollars out of the pocket of Planned Parenthood. For them, this isn't about health care as much as it's about market share.
Pregnancy medical centers provide judgment-free counseling, but freely acknowledge that they don't counsel toward abortion. If these centers do their job well, Planned Parenthood's bottom line is reduced. Assume all 19,000 women served last year in these care centers were pregnant. Suppose 100 percent success. Given that the average cost of abortion at Planned Parenthood is $350, that's $6.5 million not going to Planned Parenthood. That's 6.5 million reasons for Planned Parenthood to sic their watchdog NARAL on PRCs.
To support their draconian legislation, NARAL in particular did an "investigation" of PRCs in Virginia by sending volunteer "plants" into PRCs. They unveiled their "report" at a press conference in Richmond. They then presented their "evidence" to Senate and House subcommittees that debated their legislation. Smartly, they were able to persuade the only medical doctor in the Senate, Ralph Northam, a pro-choice legislator, to carry their bill.
The report itself includes some astonishing accusations. In one place, they take PRCs to task for not being "medically accurate" because they refer to an unborn child as a "baby." I don't know about other women, but I know that from the moment I became aware I was pregnant with each of my children I didn't refer to either of them as my "fetus," I called them my babies and so, by the way, did my doctor!
NARAL chided PRCs for allowing women to use over-the-counter pregnancy tests without "medical providers on staff." Seriously. How many women have a doctor in their home when they use an OTC pregnancy test?
They also attacked some PRCs for claiming a link between abortion and breast cancer, saying that none exists. But just last year a study was published in a prestigious, peer-reviewed medical journal containing an admission from U.S. National Cancer Institute researcher Louise Brinton and her colleagues that abortion raises breast cancer risk by 40 percent. Apparently, the PRCs are more up to date with "medically accurate" information than NARAL.
LIES EXPOSED
As the bill was debated, particularly in the Senate where Dr. Northam was subcommittee chair, NARAL's accusations quickly unraveled. Through compelling testimony by both PRC directors and clients, the lies were exposed. For example, because PRCs keep accurate records they identified the NARAL plants and discovered that they wrote great exit remarks when they left the centers they visited! And, a doctor who testified on behalf of NARAL admitted that the "report" was not methodologically sound in any academic sense.
It didn't take long for Dr. Northam to admit that public policy in Virginia should not be based on an inaccurate and unsound report. He asked for his own bill to be defeated, and it was.
The people of Virginia are smarter than to accept NARAL and Planned Parenthood's house of cards. They can see the difference between compassionate care and profit. Pregnancy resource centers provide an incredible service--a true choice--for women and families who find themselves in a crisis pregnancy. The women of Virginia are better off because of them.
Victoria Cobb is president of The Family Foundation of Virginia.