NIFLA in World Magazine: “The Essential Work of Pregnancy Centers”

“Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States, Heartbeat International has seen a rise in calls to its Option Line. The National Institute of Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA) polled 473 affiliate pregnancy centers in a COVID-19 webinar last week. Forty-two percent of them reported an increase in patients interested in abortion.

States such as Alabama, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Texas have ordered abortion centers to close as nonessential businesses during the pandemic, spurring court battles with pro-abortion groups. But most state and local governments consider pro-life pregnancy centers essential. Almost half of the 66 pregnancy centers that work with the pro-life group Save the Storks have had to close their doors during the outbreak, but only one was because of a government mandate, according to Shara Pierce, the director of counseling for the organization. NIFLA said only four or five of its centers closed because authorities classified them as ‘nonessential.’

‘We’re allowed to stay open because all of our services are free and are deemed essential because we serve a population that is low-income or does not have insurance,’ Harvey said about her center in Beaumont.

But the coronavirus has still put a strain on pregnancy center operations. About half of the NIFLA centers polled are operating with modified staffing and hours. Staff shortages have caused most of the closures among centers that work with Save the Storks.”

Read the full article in World Magazine.