Talking Points

• Threat to Crucial Support Services: The Proposed Rule by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) poses a significant threat to women being denied pregnancy help through the targeting of pregnancy centers and alternatives to abortion programs.
  
  
• Undermining TANF Flexibility: The Proposed Rule undermines the flexibility granted to states under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. States, designed to have autonomy in addressing the root causes of poverty, may face politically motivated decisions that contradict the original intent of TANF reforms.
  
  
• Bias Against Pro-Life Mission: The regulatory changes introduced by HHS disproportionately target pregnancy centers without presenting evidence of any misuse of federal funds. This bias against their pro-life mission raises concerns about the administration's impartiality and adherence to Congress' design for TANF.
  
  
• Lack of Comprehensive Impact Analysis: The Proposed Rule lacks a comprehensive analysis of the potential impact on federal and state expenditures, as well as the harm that withdrawing TANF funding would cause to individuals served by pregnancy centers. This oversight undermines the credibility of the proposed changes.
  
  
• Urgent Call for Withdrawal: Given the potential harm to pregnant women and their unborn babies, we urgently call for the withdrawal of the Proposed Rule. It is essential to maintain the ongoing support provided by pregnancy centers and alternatives to abortion programs, aligning with the core principles and purposes of the TANF program.

Sample Letter

Subject: Urgent Request for Withdrawal of Proposed Rule on TANF Funding for Pregnancy Centers

Dear Secretary Becerra:

We write to express our deep concern about the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) proposed rule, “Strengthening Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) as a Safety Net and Work Program,” published on October 2, 2023. The Proposed Rule targets pregnancy centers and alternatives to abortion programs, jeopardizing their funding and, consequently, the crucial assistance they provide to pregnant women in need.

TANF, established in 1996, aims to address poverty's root causes and reduce dependency on government by promoting work and marriage. Pregnancy centers, with over 2,700 across the country, play a vital role in providing support to women facing difficult pregnancies, offering services like counseling, ultrasounds, and material assistance at virtually no cost. These centers, often staffed by volunteers, saved taxpayers an estimated $266 million in 2019.

The Proposed Rule raises significant concerns as it targets pregnancy centers and alternatives to abortion programs, potentially stripping them of TANF funding. This move, seemingly aligned with the Biden administration's pro-abortion agenda, is inconsistent with Congress' intent to grant states flexibility in implementing TANF reforms.

HHS's regulatory changes allow the Secretary to question the legitimacy of TANF expenditures, creating a risk of politically motivated decisions that could undermine the autonomy of states. The Proposed Rule singles out pregnancy centers without providing evidence of misuse of federal funds, revealing a bias against their pro-life mission.

Moreover, HHS fails to address the potential impact on federal and state expenditures or the harm to individuals served by pregnancy centers if TANF funding is withdrawn. The lack of comprehensive analysis undermines the credibility of the Proposed Rule.

In conclusion, we urge the immediate withdrawal of the Proposed Rule. Pregnant women and their unborn babies deserve continued support from pregnancy centers and alternatives to abortion programs. The Proposed Rule jeopardizes this support and undermines the integrity of the TANF program.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]
[Your Organization]
[Contact Information]

Resources

• Read the HHS Proposed Rule Change
  
• Heartbeat's Life Trends 
• Lozier Institute's Pregnancy Center fact sheet

I know you will enjoy learning more about Heartbeat, where moms find hope and babies are saved every day. - Cindi

Her Problem:

• She feels alone
• She encounters relentless marketing promoting abortion
• She feels forced to make a quick decision
• She knows few options beyond abortion
• She has medical questions and concerns

Her Solution: 

The Option Line contact center answers cries for help 24/7/365, provides bilingual service every hour, and connects with 1,100 abortion shoppers each day providing them with immediate care and connecting them to life-affirming pregnancy help. Since 2003, more than 5 Million women have contacted Option Line for help.

You have an opportunity to bring hopeful messages about options, resources, and the value of a child to key influencers.

• The average woman is uninformed about life-affirming pregnancy options when abortion shopping
• Help prepare her influencers with critical language that supports her and encourages life decisions
• We need to combat the increased selling of abortion by Big Media
• Potential Reach = Nearly 100M for each Cable-TV commercial and digital campaign

California's Attorney General has sued Heartbeat to prevent us from advertising Abortion Pill Reversal. If you feel so called, you can stand with us as we continue to push back against pro-abortion lies against the good work of pregnancy help. We know this will be a long battle, and we also have faith in the victory!

It is believed that upwards of 80% of all abortions in the U.S. occur through chemical abortion, the abortion pill. 

The abortion pill comes in two parts and is approved by the FDA for use up to 10 weeks of pregnancy. The first chemical, mifepristone (or RU-486), is the first pill used in a chemical abortion and blocks the effects of progesterone, a hormone necessary for a pregnancy to thrive. The second part, misoprostol, expels the baby. 

Many women regret their abortions—and some choose to reverse the effects of chemical abortion drugs before taking the second drug, often saving their baby’s life. If a woman has regrets after taking the first pill, the pregnancy may be saved by the Abortion Pill Rescue Network.

• There is a window between the first and second chemical abortion drug where the effects can be reversed, and the baby can be saved.
• Chemical abortion is typically done up to 10 weeks gestation, when an unborn baby has a heartbeat, fingers and toes, and his unique fingerprints begin to form.
• Abortion Pill Reversal uses the natural hormone progesterone to counteract the life-ending effects of chemical abortion drugs.
• Data suggests that Abortion Pill Reversal has saved over 4,500 unborn lives and has a 64-68% success rate.
• Women should have the choice to reconsider going through with an abortion.
• Women deserve real healthcare.

How does Abortion Pill Reversal work?

Progesterone is a natural hormone needed to sustain pregnancy and has been used for decades to safely and effectively prevent miscarriage and forestall preterm labor. Abortion pill reversal displaces mifepristone (the first drug in a chemical abortion) from progesterone receptors using the natural progesterone hormone, counteracting the effects of mifepristone and allowing the baby to continue growing. For women who have begun abortion pill reversal, progesterone treatment is continued through the end of the first trimester at a minimum, and beyond that if needed.

What are the side effects of Abortion Pill Reversal?

Progesterone is a natural hormone necessary for sustaining a pregnancy. For some women, progesterone may cause minor side effects including sleepiness, dizziness, and headaches.

Chemical abortion side effects include bleeding, life-threatening infections, and the inability to have future successful pregnancies and may require emergency medical treatment, surgeries, blood transfusions, and hysterectomies. The FDA’s currently approved label for mifepristone also states that between 2.9-4.6% of women will end up in an emergency room. Additionally, women who take the drugs at home face the mental anguish of performing their own abortion. Many women report being surprised by the sheer volume of bleeding and are haunted by the image of the dead child. In fact, some abortionists advise women not to look at all at the aborted baby. Additionally, the FDA and abortion activists are pushing for chemical abortion by mail, only increasing the danger to women, as there is no in-person doctor’s visit and no ultrasound confirming how developed the baby is or if the pregnancy is ectopic.

Why should doctors be able to use abortion pill reversal when it’s not approved by the FDA?

Progesterone is a natural hormone needed to sustain pregnancy and has been used for decades to safely and effectively prevent miscarriage and forestall preterm labor. Doctors may prescribe abortion pill reversal as part of an off-label use of the treatment. Pregnant women shouldn’t be denied treatment to save their unborn child just because they took the first abortion drug but changed their mind.

Healthy Outcomes

The protocol used in the Abortion Pill Reversal process is nothing new. In fact, progesterone has been used routinely and safely with pregnancy since the 1950s.^{1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}

A 2018 peer-reviewed study showed positive results

• 64%-68% of the pregnancies were saved through Abortion Pill Reversal
• There was no increase in birth defects
• Lower preterm delivery rate than the general population

<sup>1. [Vaux NW and Rakoff AE: Estrogen-progesterone therapy: A new approach in the treatment of habitual abortion. Am J Obst Gynec 50:353, 1945.
2. Jones, GES: Some newer aspects of the management of infertility. JAMA 141:1123, 1949.]↩
3. [Progesterone support in pregnancy has been in use for nearly 60 years, having received its start with publications dating back to the 1940s.] (https://www.naprotechnology.com/progesterone.htm)
4. [Progestin Therapy to Prevent Preterm Birth: History and Effectiveness of Current Strategies and Development of Novel Approaches] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6766339/
5. [The Use of Progesterone for Prevention of Preterm Birth] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/5653589_The_Use_of_Progesterone_for_Prevention_of_Preterm_Birth
6. [The history of natural progesterone, the never-ending story] https://tahomaclinic.com/Private/Articles1/BHRT/Piette%202018%20-%20The%20history%20of%20natural%20progesterone,%20the%20never-ending%20story.pdf</sup>

The past few years have shown how resilient the pregnancy help movement is. 

In 2020, we dramatically shifted our efforts to serve pregnant women and families during a worldwide pandemic. Our VISION never changed, though our processes did.

In 2021, we celebrated the frontline workers of pregnancy help, recognizing the perseverance and passion that kept our doors open while many closed because pregnancy help is ESSENTIAL. 

In 2022, we saw how states pushed more aggressive abortion laws, and we understood that our work was even more important. In response, we pressed ONWARD, adapting our services to meet the new needs of women.

In 2023, we celebrated the BREAKTHROUGH we had with the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. With the issue of regulating abortion returned to each state, we knew there were new barriers we must BREAK THROUGH. 

As we worked through these years of dramatic change, it has become more and more evident that to truly become a culture that values life as a movement, we must be intentionally UNITED FOR LIFE.

We were each called into the pregnancy help movement to save lives from the horrors of abortion. While our methods may differ, our mission is the same! We embrace this as our 2024 Annual Conference theme, remembering we are all UNITED FOR LIFE. This movement is bigger than any one of us. We must work together and stand strong against those who work so hard to break us apart. Divided, we fall, but united, we stand! 

"...then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being united in spirit and purpose." Philippians 2:2

Learn more about the 2024 Annual Conference.

 Please complete the form below using 2022 metrics:

We understand the challenges of marketing pro-life pregnancy help in today's world.

When facing an unexpected pregnancy, abortion is marketed as a quick and easy solution that allows women to stay in complete control of their lives. It is found in magazines, television shows, and music. The reality is that many women often feel rushed or coerced into making a quick decision that often leads to a lifetime of regret.

We know that every woman deserves time and support when facing an unexpected pregnancy so that no woman feels abortion is her only option. 

That's why we developed a new Option Line campaign to meet these women where they are and help combat Big Abortion's monopoly on the issue. Our goal is to reach her and connect her to pregnancy help! 

To do this, Heartbeat International has developed a Gen Y & Z-focused TV and Media campaign to connect with women so that when a woman faces an unexpected pregnancy, we can connect her to her local pregnancy help organization where she will receive the life-affirming care and resources she needs. 

You'll notice in the videos below that we developed three different personas to connect with a variety of women who call Option Line seeking pregnancy help. This allows us to provide an empowering message to women no matter where they are in their journey. We will follow the analytics and adapt the marketing efforts accordingly based on the results we see.

We have three commercials running in select cities—Dallas, Chicago, and Atlanta. Our hope is to expand markets and mediums over the coming months and connect more and more women to pregnancy centers throughout the nation. 

We wanted to extend an opportunity for you to join in this effort to bring hopeful messages about options, resources, and the value of a child to key influencers. Our hope is to expand into new markets and new mediums, because we know:

• The average woman is uninformed about life-affirming pregnancy options when abortion shopping
• We can help prepare her influencers with critical language that supports her and encourages life decisions
• We need to combat the increased selling of abortion by Big Media
• Potential Reach = Nearly 100M for each Cable-TV commercial and digital campaign

For Immediate Release

August 28, 2023
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New way to connect parents to those who can help them navigate their unique circumstance

COLUMBUS, OH - Prenatal Diagnosis Initiative (PDI), a working group of pregnancy support organizations, has launched its PrenatalDiagnosis.org website. This resource serves parents facing a prenatal diagnosis and gives them access to accurate information on prenatal genetic screening and diagnostic testing, support resources, various prenatal diagnoses, and pregnancy options. Contributors to the website include Heartbeat International and Option Line, Charlotte Lozier Institute, Her PLAN, Be Not Afraid, and String of Pearls. 

The website also links users to Heartbeat International’s 24/7 pregnancy-related helpline, Option Line, that connects parents facing a diagnosis to a Parent Care Coordinator (PCC) in their region. PCCs are trained to provide trauma-informed care to parents throughout the rest of their pregnancy and for one year following birth. This care includes help navigating medical options, advocating for their baby, developing a plan for birth and newborn care, offering grief support, and more.

PDI recognizes that parents who have received a prenatal diagnosis are facing unexpected challenges and they deserve care and support as they contemplate the next steps for themselves, their baby, and the rest of their family. The website was born out of a desire to provide medically accurate, trauma-informed information to parents or family members who may be searching after receiving a positive screening or diagnostic test result. Option Line and its connection to a PCC will help meet the needs of those parents with compassionate care and support.

 “After fourteen years of supporting parents carrying to term following a prenatal diagnosis, our organization recognized the need to develop a professional training program that was trauma-informed, research-based, parent-centered, and life affirming.  We feel blessed to support other organizations in the development of services which address the crisis of a prenatal diagnosis with comprehensive support, and we are very happy with the feedback we are getting from those who have completed the Be Not Afraid Parent Care Coordinator Training,” said Tracy Winsor, Be Not Afraid Co-Founder and Parent Program Director.

 “Upon receiving a positive prenatal test result, parents deserve to receive the best information available regarding carrying their child to term and an offer of support in walking the journey. I've seen firsthand the positive impact for children, families, and communities.” - Gary Thome, Heartbeat International board member and PDI founding member

###

 Prenatal Diagnosis Initiative is a collaboration of Heartbeat International, Option Line, Charlotte Lozier Institute, Her PLAN, Be Not Afraid, and String of Pearls. Learn more at PrenatalDiagnosis.org

Her Problem:

• She feels alone
• She encounters relentless marketing promoting abortion
• She feels forced to make a quick decision
• She knows few options beyond abortion
• She has medical questions and concerns

Her Solution: 

The Option Line contact center answers cries for help 24/7/365, provides bilingual service every hour, and connects with 1,100 abortion shoppers each day providing them with immediate care and connecting them to life-affirming pregnancy help. Since 2003, more than 5 Million women have contacted Option Line for help.

You have an opportunity to bring hopeful messages about options, resources, and the value of a child to key influencers.

• The average woman is uninformed about life-affirming pregnancy options when abortion shopping
• Help prepare her influencers with critical language that supports her and encourages life decisions
• We need to combat the increased selling of abortion by Big Media
• Potential Reach = Nearly 100M for each Cable-TV commercial and digital campaign