Opinion submitted by Shelly Burkhart, Executive Director of BG Pregnancy Center
The Bowling Green Pregnancy Center (HerChoice) has been serving women and their partners in Wood County for over 30 years. We lovingly serve all clients regardless of race, age, gender, or situation. Our reputation and integrity are very important to us. A recent June 16 opinion article written by Ms. Murphy (http://bgindependentmedia.org/opinion-her-choice-does-not-offer-all-choices/), has prompted us to appropriately explain the services and information we provide to our clients.
HerChoice provides only medically accurate information to clients. Pregnant women are given the right to choose between abortion and having a baby in the United States and we believe they deserve accurate information and support. HerChoice provides this information, which has been reviewed and approved by our medical director, a board certified M.D., concerning all options including abortion. We also provide ongoing support, regardless of a client’s decision. And, unlike an abortion provider, we never benefit financially from any woman’s choice. Because we are faith-based, which is clearly stated in our client intake form, all of our services are free. Our medical services and accurate information are designed to give women peace of mind and to provide early intervention in difficult pregnancy situations.
One of the medical services mentioned in the article was our use of the limited ultrasound. These ultrasounds can confirm an intrauterine pregnancy, locate and measure a fetal heart rate and measures the CRL (crown rump length). To clarify, we are confirming intrauterine pregnancies. All of our resources and information are medically accurate. The Care Net Publication Before You Decide contains 335 references. Most are authoritative medical publications and government resources. Because space is limited, only selected references are included in the back of the publication. As noted in the magazine on the selected references page, a full list of citations is available at https://beforeyoudecide.info/references/. Our statistics concerning miscarriage are included among this medically accurate information. There is some uncertainty even in the medical community about miscarriage rates While the overall risk of miscarriage for a clinically confirmed pregnancy is 10-15%, many clients at HerChoice have not yet had their pregnancy confirmed by a medical professional. Risk for miscarriage also increases for women over 30 (see ACOG practice bulletin). Miscarriage rates prior to the confirmation of pregnancy are likely even higher.
We care for all clients and their needs. Our care for victims of sexual assault agrees with the highest evidence-based standards of care in the medical community. While we do not collect evidence (the role of a SANE nurse), our medical professionals and caring client advocates assist assault survivors in every appropriate way, including referral for SANE nursing services when needed. We do NOT make a report to law enforcement, however, we do assist clients in this process if they desire. There is an exception for legally mandated reporting requirements if child abuse/neglect is suspected. We have full compassion for women who are victims of sexual assault and are equipped to make the appropriate referrals in these cases.
As our name implies, and as Ms. Murphy admits, we never tell any woman what to do because the outcome of her pregnancy is indeed her choice. This was recently validated in a client evaluation of our Center which said, “HerChoice has a very friendly and open staff, they provided educational material to make an informed decision.” Every woman should have the support she needs to make a non-coerced choice, regardless of the pregnancy outcome a woman chooses, we offer ongoing support.
