(The Stream) When Tonia walked through the doors of Prestonwood Pregnancy Center in Dallas, she was ready to order abortion pills. She had found a website that promised they would arrive in three days, but first she wanted an ultrasound.
During the appointment, she shared her struggles and felt that pregnancy was not an option for her right then. She later said, “I had already made my decision. I just wanted confirmation of how far along I was before I took the pills.”
What Tonia had not expected was the connection she felt when she saw her baby’s heartbeat – at just eight weeks of pregnancy – flickering on the ultrasound screen, or the compassionate, understanding staff with whom she shared her fears of parenting.
“I came in certain about ending my pregnancy,” she said later, cradling her newborn son. “I left with the courage to continue it.”
Stories like Tonia’s highlight how dramatically the landscape has shifted for pregnancy centers in Texas. As executive director of Prestonwood Pregnancy Center, serving the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, I’ve witnessed firsthand how the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade and the subsequent passage of a law banning abortion in Texas have transformed our work, rather than ending it.
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New battles
While we celebrated these legal victories that affirmed what we’ve always known about the value of human life, we quickly realized we were entering a new chapter with unique challenges. Chief among these is the proliferation of chemical abortion providers that have emerged online to circumvent states with abortion restrictions.
These providers allow women to order abortion pills with minimal screening or follow-up care. After hearing stories from our clients about how easy it is to obtain abortion pills, we investigated to see if it was true, and to learn better ways to counteract their prolific presence.
Unfortunately, it is true. With just a few clicks of the mouse, no medical consultation, and a $40 charge to a credit card (with an inconspicuous line item labeled “women’s sanitary products” on the statement), within two days the abortifacients were delivered. Due to this accessibility, women are making life-altering, life-threatening decisions without comprehensive medical oversight — or any emotional support or compassion.
Many who support abortion claim they care for women. This practice does not demonstrate care for women; in fact, it shows complete disregard.
Responding rather than reacting
Prestonwood Pregnancy Center has responded by expanding our outreach efforts and menu of services. We’ve enhanced our online presence and implemented chat- and text-based support. Beyond pregnancy testing and sonograms, we offer classes, employment opportunities, housing referrals, educational resources, and free professional counseling that continues well after the child is born.
The circumstances bringing women to our center, however, remain largely unchanged: financial instability, relationship issues, educational concerns, lack of support systems, and sometimes domestic violence. Banning abortion doesn’t automatically eliminate these underlying struggles, but often illuminates them or makes them worse.
When women find practical solutions to their most pressing concerns, they often find the courage to choose life.
We help them understand that what they see as a problem can be a possibility. We help them slow down and respond, rather than react, to their situations. When we react, it is often without thought and counsel, but when we take the time to learn and evaluate, we respond and make healthier and better decisions.
Reversing the curse
We have also trained our medical staff extensively on the realities of chemical abortions, including offering abortion pill reversal services for women who may experience regret after taking the first of the two-pill regimen.
Last year, we assisted 11 women through the abortion pill reversal process after they had second thoughts. One of them came to us in tears just hours after taking mifepristone.
The first time we met Amara, she had a positive pregnancy test. Measuring eight weeks along, she departed with her sonogram picture in hand, showing little emotion. We didn’t know she was a struggling mother of four, and her life already felt like it was out of control.
Just 17 days after Amara’s first appointment, we received her frantic call: She had taken the abortion pill, and was regretting it. She came to us that day, fearful she would be met with judgment, and asked about the pill reversal process. Instead, she was met with grace, compassion, and a tangible solution.
She asked, “Is it not too late? Can this really be reversed?”
A calmness fell over Amara as we saw her baby, alive and well, on the ultrasound. She then began the abortion pill-reversal process – a heavy dose of progesterone — and as we waited, we comforted and prayed for her. Thanks to modern technology and the ability to get immediate messages to those who love and support our ministry, only God knows how many prayers were offered on Amara’s behalf that day.
Through prompt intervention, she was able to continue her pregnancy. She now has a beautiful son, and they are thriving. And our help did not stop with the medication but continued with counseling, classes, and material resources.
Without condition
Many of the women we see have never experienced unconditional support. They expect judgment; they find acceptance. They expect pressure; they find presence. This creates space for thoughtful decision-making and often becomes the turning point in their personal journeys.
Tweet This: Many of the women we see expect judgment and pressure, but find acceptance and presence. This allows for thoughtful decision-making.
My greatest prayer is that abortion would not only be illegal, but unthinkable. Our culture needs a heart change. It is a spiritual battle, and that means it requires a spiritual answer. Jesus, the true-life transformer, with His extravagant love and unlimited grace, is the foundation of all that we do and offer.
Every day at Prestonwood Pregnancy Center and others like it across America, we witness the courage of women who choose life despite difficult circumstances. We celebrate with them, cry with them, and commit to supporting them long-term. This is the foundation of our mission in this post-Roe landscape – not just saving lives but transforming them through love, truth, and unwavering support.
Editor's note: Leanne Jamieson is executive director of Prestonwood Pregnancy Center, founded by Pastor Jack Graham and Prestonwood Baptist Church in 1991. The nonprofit pregnancy center has three locations in Richardson, Dallas, and Fort Worth, Texas, along with a mobile unit that serves communities throughout the DFW metroplex. This article was published by The Stream and is reprinted with permission. Heartbeat International manages the Abortion Pill Rescue® Network (APRN) and Pregnancy Help News. Heartbeat is currently the subect of two lawsuits brought by state ags concerning sharing information about Abortion Pill Reversal.
