U.S. women have markedly more choices through community-based care providers than with abortion providers, according to a new report.
The Charlotte Lozier Institute (CLI), the research arm for national pro-life group Susan B. Anthony Pro-life America, recently released a report titled, “Women Have Real Choices,” showcasing the work of pregnancy resource centers versus the work of Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers.
According to the report, 14 women’s healthcare centers and pregnancy resource centers exist in the U.S. for every one Planned Parenthood facility. 
The research looked at more than 8,000 women’s service providers, including Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) sites and pro-life pregnancy centers in all 50 states, compared to just 585 Planned Parenthood locations in only 48 states. The more than 8,000 women’s service providers identified by CLI include more than 5,300 Federally Qualified Health Center sites and 2,700 pro-life pregnancy centers.
The online report provides a map of the United States indicating where these centers and clinics are located and a breakdown of each state’s offerings. Individual state maps are also available.
CLI frequently conducts research, compiles data, and creates reports on pro-life issues. The organization’s mission is “to promote deeper public understanding of the value of human life” and parenthood, bringing “together physicians, sociologists, statisticians, and policy researchers to do both original and interpretative research on a wide range of life issues,” according to its website.
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Leadership at the largest network of pregnancy help in the U.S. and globally praised CLI’s efforts in producing the report and acknowledged the growth of the pregnancy help movement in the U.S. to meet the needs of women.
“We appreciate the work of CLI pointing out that women do have real choices,” said Betty McDowell, vice president of Ministry Services for Heartbeat International. “The growth of the pregnancy help network demonstrates how we care not only for the unborn child, but about the mother as well, providing the resources for her to choose life.”
Of the roughly 3,000 pregnancy centers in the U.S. more than 2,700 centers are affiliated with Heartbeat. Heartbeat's affiliation numbers have grown tremendously during the past few years, including through Life Launch Grants for new centers (28 in 2021) and overall internationally.
“I have personally been involved with pregnancy help for well over 35 years and have watched the pregnancy help community grow in size and scope as they address many of the most difficult challenges women face in today's society,” McDowell said. “These pregnancy help organizations provide real help in building a network of support, healing, education, care and resources to empower women.”
Health centers provide necessary care 
The Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) included in the CLI report are “community-based health care providers vetted and funded by the federal government to provide comprehensive healthcare services to low-income, vulnerable, and underserved populations.” Such medical clinics operate on a sliding-fee scale. CLI’s analysis included only facilities advertising women’s health services, such as well-woman care, OB-GYN services, and pre-natal care.
Among their research findings regarding FQHCs, CLI discovered these facilities had nearly 933,000 patient visits for mammograms, compared with zero reported by Planned Parenthood in 2019. Additionally, FQHCs provided more than seven million pap tests, seven times more than Planned Parenthood facilities conducted.
The research also discovered approximately two million people were helped in some way by pro-life pregnancy centers in 2019 and $270 million worth of services were provided at little or no-cost to patients.
The report also showed Planned Parenthood’s biggest solution to unplanned pregnancies, at more than 96 percent, was abortion.
“Prenatal care, miscarriage care, and adoption referrals together accounted for less than 4% of Planned Parenthood’s pregnancy care services,” the report said.
CLI's report said further that, "pregnancy centers and FQHC sites are not dependent on abortion for revenue, and instead offer women real choices and holistic care."
“It's no wonder pregnancy help centers significantly outnumber Planned Parenthoods,” McDowell stated. “Unlike Big Abortion who profits when a woman has an abortion, pregnancy help organizations are motivated and inspired when a woman ‘profits’ from the pregnancy help community. Women empowered to choose life not only enriches that woman’s life now, but also enriches her future.”
Pregnancy centers provide care and empowerment
One significant conclusion from this study reflected the comprehensive nature of pregnancy help.
“Pro-life pregnancy centers support pregnant women facing difficult circumstances with medical care and referrals, education, mentoring, and material support including diapers, car seats, and clothing,” the report stated.
“Every woman should be supported through her pregnancy and no woman should feel so alone, coerced or hopeless that she would choose to end the life of her child,” McDowell said. “Having a network of support where a woman is listened to, in an environment where she can explore her options, dream of what she can accomplish, and then be empowered to move forward is what the over 2,700 pregnancy help organizations are all about.”
Editor's note: Heartbeat International manages Pregnancy Help News. This article has been updated with informational graphics.
