E-Giving Systems has collaborated with many pregnancy centers to help them get the funding they need. This crucial funding goes towards crucial medical supplies for pregnant women in crisis. Whether a woman has decided to keep her baby to full term or not, more pregnancy centers are struggling to offer her the option of an ultrasound. This option is crucial to diagnosing the health of mother and baby. However, the cost of this machine, let alone the actual usage, is out of reach for many centers. Using E-Giving’s unique online giving system has allowed more babies to get their first picture taken, and maybe saved their lives.

Ultrasounds Are Medically Important

Getting an ultrasound has many social stigmas attached. The emotional connection between parents and the baby can be dormant until they have an ultrasound. However, this is not the sole reason for ultrasounds. Doctors use the image to measure the baby and determine what stage of development he or she has reached. They also are looking at the uterus itself for defects or future issues. All of this information is vital to the health of mom and baby, regardless if abortion is an option or not. If abortion is on the table, many women have changed their minds just from seeing the baby. Thus, putting an ultrasound in every pregnancy center is important regardless of political, ethical and religious standpoints. Ultrasounds save lives through the relay of important information to doctors about all the patients involved.

How E-Giving Helps

The cost of an ultrasound device is $20,000 or more. To use that device, a trained medical professional must be on staff, and they cost thousands of dollars as well. Many people would love to support the ministry of ultrasounds by just giving the money in a lump sum. However, this is highly unlikely. With most Americans living on a month-by-month basis in our currently tight economy, it would be much easier to build a smaller recurring donation into the monthly budget. With E-giving, this is simple. E-Giving sets up a reliable system through which people can give small amounts in a recurring manner. The E-Giving system is much like the popular online bill-pay available with most banks. It allows individuals to set up an exact amount to be given on a certain day. This gift can be set to reoccur every month to ensure constant support for an organization such as a pregnancy resource center.

Planning Ahead

Constant support allows the pregnancy centers to use the money given more effectively, because now they can plan ahead with confidence. Knowing the amount of money flowing in and out of any organization is vital to survival. E-Giving Systems puts this support tool into the hands of ministry based organizations to further the Kingdom. Ultrasounds in pregnancy centers get more babies’ pictures taken, and more babies born healthy all thanks to E-Giving.

For more information on E-Giving visit egiving.com.

Just before closing one night, a young woman came to Women’s Center- East Dayton looking disheveled and overwhelmed; we will call her Jenny. Jenny is in her 30s, divorced, lives with roommates and is involved in a long-term relationship. After making an appointment online, Jenny came to our office requesting a pregnancy test and information on abortion. She fully intended on aborting the baby, if she were pregnant.

The pregnancy test was positive, and Jenny again voiced her desire to have an abortion. From her intake form as well as the consultation, it was clear that Jenny struggled with substance abuse. Her life was in a downward spiral, and she could not imagine having a baby at this time. Jenny disclosed that she had been using heroin and cocaine. After discussing possibilities for rehabilitation, it was clear that Jenny had made the effort to find help, but had come up empty-handed.

Following the consultation, Jenny was offered an ultrasound. During the ultrasound, Jenny was able to see her baby and hear the heartbeat. Immediately, she was crying and very emotional. Her boyfriend came back to view the ultrasound and was very supportive. When he was asked about his feelings regarding the baby, he replied that he would support Jenny in her decision, but felt that maybe this was God’s way of getting Jenny clean and sober. Jenny was very conflicted, because she just could not see how she could handle being pregnant and carrying a baby at this time in her life. She very much wanted to “take care of this problem” and move on.

Being able to connect to the client on several levels, the ultrasound technician offered encouragement and hope for the client. After contacting a number of agencies, Jenny was given a referral to help her find assistance for her drug addiction. Ironically, Jenny would be given this opportunity only because she was pregnant and seeking help. Jenny agreed to contact this agency in the morning and left the office, still undecided about what she would do with the pregnancy.

When we called Jenny a few days later, she sounded so much better. She and her boyfriend had decided to keep the baby, and she was in contact with recovery program. She felt that it was the connection she made with the caring staff at the center as well as seeing her child and hearing the heartbeat that changed her mind. She was grateful for our help, and hopeful for her future.

Women’s Center-East is located at 4787 Burkhardt Avenue not far from Woodman Drive in Dayton, Ohio. Women can make a free initial appointment online by going to www.womenscenterohio.com and going to the East Dayton location page. To schedule an appointment over the phone or to learn more about the services we provide, call 937-610-7777. We can be reached by email at info@womenscenterohio.com. All Women’s Center-East’s services are free and confidential.

Patreece* was very frightened when she came to Women’s Center-East. She had just taken a pregnancy test at home and it was positive. She wasn’t completely healed from the birth of her daughter several months earlier. It had been a difficult birth and the doctor had told her to wait 3 years before getting pregnant again. Patreece confided, “My scar is still swollen on the inside and my husband is afraid I could die. Our two young daughters need a mother.”

Patreece thought abortion was her only option even though she felt in her heart it was wrong. The consultant explained the different types of abortion with her as well as the risks. The nurse at Women’s Center-East did an ultrasound but it was too early to determine age or viability. She was very concerned about Patreece’s situation and advised her to seek some medical information from an OBGYN before having an abortion. Patreece was given a list of several local doctors. Because she had no insurance the nurse called one of the doctors to see how much a visit would cost. Her two daughters were on Care Source so the nurse suggested Patreece sign up as well.

Then Patreece left Ohio to visit with her family, wondering what she should do. When she came back to Dayton she called Women’s Center East and scheduled another ultrasound. She sounded excited and said she and her husband had decided to have the baby. After her second ultrasound, Patreece still had many concerns about this pregnancy but she knows that the staff at Women’s Center East really cares about her and will do all they can to help her get through this difficult pregnancy.

Women’s Center-East is located at 4787 Burkhardt Avenue, Suite 201, Dayton, Ohio 45403. Women are served in a confidential and comfortable setting. There are no income requirements, however all services are offered free of charge. For more information, call 937-610-7777 or schedule an initial appointment online by going to www.womenscenterohio.com/daytonEast.aspx.

*Not real name.

Concerned you may be pregnant? Not sure what you plan to do? The Women’s Center – Dayton can help assist you with your unplanned pregnancy. We can provide you with a medical quality pregnancy test, and limited ultrasound scan. All of our services are offered without charging you anything. If you are unsure what you plans are for the pregnancy or are considering abortion, we can provide you with information about your options. We are committed to providing women with accurate information they need to make the best choice for their individual situation. Our RDMS (Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer) and Nurses are here to provide every positive pregnancy test client with a free non-diagnostic ultrasound scan.  The limited ultrasound scan will help to determine gestational age and viability. Viability refers to whether or not the embryo or fetus has a detectable heartbeat. It is important for women to determine the viability and gestational age of the pregnancy when making a decision about the pregnancy.

No matter what your plans are for this pregnancy, we are here to provide you with the services to support you during this time. We can provide you with community resources and referrals that will help support your specific needs during the pregnancy. For those women who have decided to carry to term, the Women’s Center offers a material assistance program. Through the material assistance program women can earn items for their child, such as furniture, clothing, diapers, formula, etc. This program is available for women both during the pregnancy and after the child is born.

During your visit, you will find our staff members provide a caring, non-judgmental atmosphere to discuss your situational needs and concerns. The consultants take the time necessary for you to understand your options and services available to you. All information shared during the consultations is confidential in order to protect the privacy of our clients.

The Women’s Center – Dayton is located at 359 Forest Avenue, Suite 105, Dayton, Ohio. Our office is located near the Grandview Hospital’s Emergency Room entrance at the corner of Forest and Neal Avenues. Appointments are preferred and walk-ins are welcome. Appointments can be scheduled by phone or online. To schedule an appointment by phone or to learn more about the services we provide, please call (937) 228-2222. If interested in setting up an initial appointment online, please visit www.womenscenterohio.com, click on the Dayton location in the lower left hand side, and then click on the “Book Now” button.  We can also be reached by email at info@womenscenterohio.com.

Women’s Center – Dayton serves the following Miami Valley communities: Trotwood, Englewood, Huber Heights, Vandalia, and Dayton Ohio.

Light of Hope Pregnancy Center has been serving women in Sumter, South Carolina, and in Lee, Clarendon and Sumter counties for over 15 years. More than 6,000 women have trusted us with their concerns and questions about their sexual health and pregnancy.

Women’s sexual health is important to us at Light of Hope Pregnancy Center. That’s why we provide free urine-based pregnancy tests with 99% accuracy, and results that are provided to you immediately.

At Light of Hope, you won’t find people who will judge you or lecture you! We provide confidential peer counseling by women who have been where you are – worried about an unplanned pregnancy. Our counselors have only your best interests in mind and will take the time to learn about you and your fears and concerns.

Have you ever made a decision and – looking back – wished you had known then what you know now? If you have a positive pregnancy test, you can depend upon Light of Hope Pregnancy Center to provide you with accurate information about all of your options for your pregnancy: parenting, abortion, and adoption. The decision is yours – there’s no pressure. But before you decide, we can provide you with all the facts that you need to know about your pregnancy and the options you have.

If you aren’t pregnant, but have questions about sexually transmitted disease, we can help. We can provide you with medically-accurate information about sexually transmitted infections and disease, and bust the myths about how to get them and how to prevent them.

Of course, all of our services are free and confidential. We’re located at 207 N. Main Street in downtown Sumter – just down the street from the main post office. Call us at 803-773-8858 or toll-free at 800-671-0681 for an appointment. You can also walk-in on Wednesdays and Thursdays between 10:00am and 2:00pm.

“I witnessed not only my own transformation but had the true joy of watching others change, grow and develop before my eyes. I watched cries of pain turn to tears of joy and stoic stares turn to tender, warm eyes, releasing years of denial. What a ministry! What a blessing!”

This was just one comment made by a participant who went through an abortion recovery weekend retreat. It is interesting to note, that not only do the leaders see a huge transformation in the faces of these women when they have completed the healing process, but the fellow participants see it in their peers countenance as well.

The pro-abortion side would have us believe that women who choose abortion do not suffer any ill effects. They are quick to deny that there is such a thing as post-abortion stress. They are quick to deny that abortion causes any lasting emotional consequences. Why? Because then they would have to admit that abortion is not necessarily a good thing for a woman. And for an industry that makes millions of dollars from other women’s choices, this would be a devastating admission.

I have worked with enough women who have experienced the emotional pain of an abortion to know that abortion does have a lasting affect on women. Women are by nature, nurturers. To choose abortion, for whatever reason, goes against a woman’s nature. No matter what her value system, she is created to carry a life and nurture it, not choose to end that life. When she chooses abortion, she is then left to deal with the grief, shame and condemnation that so often occur. Many women will carry this “secret” for most of their lives until they can no longer cope. That is when they seek help through an abortion recovery group, because nothing else seems to be working.

The women I have worked with some from different backgrounds and different lives. Yet their burden is the same. Each story is unique; each woman is special. The pain and tears are always real.

Because of the shame involved, a woman will not speak of her abortion until she is ready to seek help. No wonder the burden has become unbearable. No wonder, her life seems to not be working. Post-abortion stress has many symptoms some of which are: a more promiscuous lifestyle, the use of alcohol and drugs, sexual dysfunction in a marital relationship, depression, anxiety, and many more. These symptoms are very common and always talked about, yet never connected to a previous abortion(s).

If you or someone you know is suffering from the pain of a past abortion, there is hope, there is help. Don’t waste any more years of your life hiding in the shame of a choice you made. Are you ready to not only know you are forgiven, but to feel forgiven and be set free? Please contact Options for Women of California at (925) 706.0100, 2 Park Lane, Antioch, CA 94509.

Options for Women of California serves women by providing abortion clinic alternatives in Concord, California and surrounding regions.  Options for Women provides pregnancy help services including pregnancy testing, options counseling and first trimester ultrasound.  Regions we serve include Walnut Creek, Pittsburg, Oakley and Antioch in the East Bay region of California.