The Texas Heartbeat Act, also known as Senate Bill 8, is reportedly achieving its goal of curtailing abortions in the state since more pregnant women now decide to carry to term.
Christianity Today reported that according to Care Net Pregnancy Center of Central Texas Chief Executive Officer Deborah McGregor, months after the Texas Heartbeat Act came into law, more women are entering pregnancy centers for aid and exiting being well-informed and able to make better decisions.
"More women than not decide to carry to term (after visiting the clinic). We ask for permission to follow up even if they do go through with the abortion," McGregor said.
Accordingly, Texas has the most number of pregnancy centers in the United States at 198 as of date. A majority of these pregnancy centers are operated by faith-based ministries who provide their services to women for free. These centers provide women the chance to choose life over abortion.
The pregnancy centers, unlike the 600 Planned Parenthood branches in the country, are more accessible and available to women at no cost especially when it comes to pregnancy tests and urine tests. Planned Parenthood reportedly charges a minimum of $95 for an appointment. The high fees now and the new law now force women to go to pregnancy centers since it is something they can afford.
Pregnancy Help 4U Executive Director Tonya Thomas disclosed that centers are now "flooded with phone calls from women worried they might be pregnant or unclear about the details of the law."
Some women mistakenly enter pregnancy centers thinking they can undergo abortion their but stick around for the free testing, which in turn opens them to be informed of their option such as adoption besides rearing their own child. The pregnancy centers' staff are also given the opportunity to provide these in-crisis-women the care and support they need besides being informed of their options. Pregnancy centers are also able to provide women the basic needs for their newborn such as baby gear, diapers, and strollers.
Thomas recounted such an incident in an interview with Christianity Today. Thomas highlighted that these encounters bring "spiritual conversion" as well to women.
"Our client advocate asked if she had considered adoption, and she hadn't. She had literally thought abortion was her only option, but we were able to relay that information...have a spiritual conversation, and she left in tears," Thomas said.
Care Net Chief Outreach Officer Vincent DiCaro projected the trickling effects Senate Bill 8 would have in the overall success of the pro-life movement in the country especially if other states would replicate the law. DiCaro indicated the role of churches in the overall success of SB8's implementation in all the states, especially since there are 400,000 churches in the country as against the 2,700 pregnancy centers.
"If you take the Texas law and multiply it by every state that is politically similar. How overwhelmed they would be...They can't do this on their own," DiCaro said.
As per Texas Right To Life, SB8 has saved around 10,000 to 13, 000 babies from being aborted since it took effect in September 1 last year amidst ongoing legal battle with President Joe Biden's Administration. The New York Times in October, on the other hand, has reported that abortions in Texas have dropped in half since SB8 was implemented.
Christianity Daily reported last week that the United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit has decided in a 2-1 ruling on Monday that SB 8 remains in effect, rejecting the challenge of the Biden Administration against it. The decision entails allowing the Texas Supreme Court to come out with a final judgment on the case.
