Abortion and "PRCs"
Options in Menomonie
The following is a submitted article from JoAnn Utphall, edited only for length. — Joyce
[Photo credit Rodnae Productions at Pexels.com]
Since Roe vs. Wade was overturned, pregnancy resource centers (PRC) have been in the spotlight, sometimes being the target of malicious speech and being maligned by the spread of misinformation.
Options for Women Menomonie (OFWM) is a Dunn County pregnancy resource center located in Menomonie. This type of center is different from Planned Parenthood clinics in that pregnancy resource centers discuss with their clients all aspects of the different choices they have - about pregnancy, adoption, and abortion. Although OFWM does not refer for or provide abortions, what a woman decides is strictly up to her.
“At Options for Women Menomonie, we provide more than a service at our pregnancy help center, we provide a family. We aim to build relationships and support moms and dads through pregnancy and beyond.” - optionsmenomonie.com
Options for Women Menomonie is not currently a medical clinic. Their focus is education/information and support, both relational and material. All services are confidential and provided at no cost to the client. Their Earn While You Learn Program (EWYL) allows moms (and dads) to complete lessons about pregnancy, parenting, life skills, etc., and earn points they can redeem for baby items, clothing, supplies, and personal care items. Lessons can be completed in person or virtually.
[Some goodies available at a PRC in Stillwater.]
The pregnancy tests at OFWM are self-administered by the clients, and are permitted and approved via a CLIA Waiver awarded by CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, a division of the US Health and Human Services Department).
[Preparing a self-administered pregnancy test at APPLE PRC in Eau Claire.]
There is a misconception that the U.S. Supreme Court took away a woman’s right to abortion. The USSC gave back the right to decide the abortion issue to the states. Before Roe vs. Wade, abortion was not a federal issue as each state decided what abortion laws were appropriate for their constituents.
[Options Menomonie does not offer medical services like ultrasounds, but a sister PRC, Options for Women - River Falls, does. Photo credit: Mart Production at Pexels.com]
Former Georgia Representative, Stacy Abrams recently stated that “There is no such thing as a heartbeat at six weeks” and “It is a manufactured sound designed to convince people that men have the right to take control of a woman’s body away from her.” According to Medical News Today, (“When does a fetus have a heartbeat?” Jan.6, 2023). ”The heart of an embryo starts to beat from around 5 to 6 weeks of pregnancy.” At this stage it is possible to see the first visible sign of the embryo, known as the fetal pole. By the fifth week, the heart is made up of two tubes that have fused in the middle and begins to beat. After eight weeks the embryo is referred to as a fetus. By the tenth week, the fetus’s heart is fully developed.
[This government publication provides much information used by OFWM to speak to clients about abortion www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/publications/p4/p40074.pdf. ]
Some PRC’s have curriculum with faith components but do not require clients to participate in those modules. Nor do they refuse services based on a client's religion or a certain belief. Prayer is offered if clients request it, but services offered are not contingent on any faith or belief system.
Many centers throughout the U.S. just want to help women make an informed decision and want to support these women in a variety of ways, yet many of these centers have been physically vandalized, experienced cyber-attacks on their websites, and have been harassed since the Supreme Court reversed Roe vs. Wade. [Editor’s note: https://catholicvote.org/pregnancy-center-attack-tracker/]
The reason that PRC’s exist is to help women through a stressful, uncertain time in their life. They are there to provide support and information on all the different choices the woman has for her pregnancy, the woman chooses the option that is right for her. PRC’s hope is to provide an alternative to abortion.
[Photo credit Rodnae Productions at Pexels.com]
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