I’m the mother of three and my youngest is a six-month baby girl. In moments when I’m lying next to her on the floor or rocking her to sleep or laughing with her, I can’t help but think of the millions of women in America who will never have these experiences with their babies whose lives were ended by abortion. Based on a recent study, 60 percent of these women would have carried their child to term if they had had greater emotional or financial support, or both.
This week as thousands of people take to the street in Washington, D.C. for the March For Life, pro-lifers march to advocate for both unborn children and their mothers. We continue this annual tradition because our work is not done yet – including our work to serve women during pregnancy and after a child as born.
The legacy media goes to great lengths to cover up this aspect of the pro-life movement. Portraying pro-life leaders as anti-woman and oblivious to a child’s needs after they are born, reproductive rights reporters fill their stories with tragic anecdotes and talking points from the abortion industry. They willfully ignore the stories of hope and the positive efforts to serve women.
Yet no matter how hard they try, the leftwing media cannot conceal the ways Republican governors are bringing this goal to life. Governors are leaning in on being pro-life and fulfilling the mission to help mothers.
For instance, governors Ron DeSantis and Glenn Youngkin both emphasized policies and programs that help mothers in their state of the state addresses. Under her new Thrive Iowa initiative, Gov. Kim Reynolds is advocating for extending postpartum Medicaid and paid parental leave for state employees. West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice is calling for $3 million for pregnancy centers. In South Dakota, Gov. Kristi Noem has proclaimed Freedom For Life Year calling attention to the crucial first 1,000 days of a child’s life. Her administration recently expanded the South Dakota Bright Start program which serves moms and babies from pregnancy until the child’s second birthday. Gov. Jim Pillen is continuing the pro-life work in Nebraska after signing a 12-week protection into law last year by issuing a culture of life proclamation, advocating for more foster parents and vocally supporting pregnancy centers.
These actions from Republican governors build upon the pro-life safety net laws passed in 2023. North Carolina passed $160m for childcare, parental leave and community college assistance for parents. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves signed eight measures to enact a “new pro-life agenda,” including foster care and adoption reforms. Wyoming extended its Medicaid program to cover moms for the first year after a child is born. Montana created an adoption tax credit and child tax credit for kids under the age of six.
A number of states including Florida, West Virginia and Kansas allocated funding for pregnancy centers which empower women to make a real choice. These centers exist to help women in need by providing free pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, medical exams, counseling, parenting classes, financial classes; items such as food, diapers, and clothing; and financial assistance for housing and utilities. A whopping 74% of Americans support public funding for such centers.
Unfortunately, political attacks on women with legislation to hinder pregnancy centers’ ability to provide care has become the norm in some blue states. The California attorney general recently announced he’s suing pregnancy centers in his state. The Massachusetts Department of Health is threatening to shut down pregnancy centers. Last year, a Colorado law was passed to prohibit centers from offering abortion pill reversal.
These attacks highlight the unfortunate reality that many on the left are no longer pro-choice, they are pro-abortion. However, I still hold out hope that some Democrats will join Republicans in providing more aid to mothers in our post-Roe America. Whether it’s by funding pregnancy centers, creating childcare solutions, or offering more financial support to moms, building upon the pro-life safety net is something we should all rally around.