Future of the Pro-Life Movement: What to Expect in 2020

The number of babies who lose their lives to abortion worldwide each year is incomprehensible. When we add a mother and a father deceived into believing abortion would solve their “problem,” we can add 112 million additional victims of abortion to that number.

While many states were tightening restrictions on abortion, Illinois became one of the least restrictive states in the nation regarding access to abortion. These changes will affect the landscape of abortion in Illinois.

On June 12, 2019, Governor Pritzker signed a law that repealed Illinois 1975 abortion law, which included a waiting period, spousal consent, and parental notification.
Previously, the number of abortions in Illinois decreased, but that number is expected to increase because of Illinois’ new abortion laws.
According to the Associated Press, the number of women coming to Illinois from other states for an abortion has more than doubled since 2017.
In October 2019, Planned Parenthood secretly opened America’s largest abortion clinic in Southern Illinois. This new, 18,000-foot mega-clinic is just 13 miles from the only remaining abortion clinic in Missouri that has been fighting to stay open amid numerous health violations. This was a pre-emptive move to provide abortions to women from surrounding states that have restrictive abortion laws.

If you’re looking to become involved in the pro-life movement in Illinois, Caring Network is a great place to start! There are many opportunities to volunteer your time, pray for women and men facing unexpected pregnancy decisions, and partner financially with our ongoing work. Find out more today!

We Are Making a Difference

It’s easy to become paralyzed by discouraging news and statistics. It’s tempting to give up as you wonder, “What can I do?” or “How can we ever turn this around?” But the truth is the pro-life movement is making a difference, and it can’t happen without you.

Caring Network currently operates six centers. Our data reveals that 90% of our clients travel less than ten miles to our centers. The average rate of abortions in Illinois has declined 11% in the past four years, yet the abortion rate has dropped 25% in Caring Network communities.

We need you, our volunteers, to continue making a profound impact in the DuPage County area. You not only help to save the lives of defenseless babies, but you are also increasing the quality of life for women and men because pro-life is pro-woman.

What to Expect in 2020 in the Pro-Life Movement

Now is a challenging yet exciting time to be part of the pro-life movement. In addition to legislation, here are three other things to expect in 2020: increased efforts to change minds about abortion, expanding the use of social media to reach women, and more pregnancy resource centers offering abortion pill reversal.

1. INCREASING EFFORTS TO CHANGE MINDS ABOUT ABORTION

Many in the pro-life movement realize that changing laws alone isn’t sufficient to reduce abortions. This is apparent because so many women resort to traveling to other states to obtain abortions.

Real change happens when minds change. In 2020, you will see focused efforts in the pro-life movement to change people’s minds about abortion. One of many initiatives is through March For Life.

January 22, 1973, is the day abortion became legal in the United States after the Supreme Court decisions regarding Roe vs. Wade and Doe vs. Bolton. In January, each year, March For Life organizes what is considered to be the largest peaceful annual human rights demonstration in Washington, D.C. Local chapters around the country also march in January.

2020 marks 100 years since the passage of the 19 ^th Amendment of the Constitution – women’s right to vote. To commemorate, the National March for Life Theme for 2020 is Life Empowers: pro-life is pro-woman.

Jeanne Mancini, President of March For Life writes:

Thanks to the early feminist suffragists, we have put the time when women were denied the right to vote behind us. One day, we hope to put behind us this time where the most innocent and vulnerable are denied the right to live. It is time to expose abortion as a grave injustice that marginalizes and devalues women, and that steals the lives of their children.

If you would like to participate, March For Life Chicago 2020 will be held on Saturday, January 11, 2020.

2. REACHING WOMEN THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that 31.1% of all abortions in the U.S. are by women who are ages 20-24, and 27.6% of abortions are by women ages 25-29. That means millennials make up the highest percentage of those having abortions. The millennial generation also happens to make up one-quarter of our population, according to Pew Research.

Those of us working in the pro-life movement understand this. And we also understand that millennials think differently, which is no different from previous generations. What is different, though, is how we reach them. And we need to reach them where they’re at on social media.

For that reason, in 2020, you will see more pro-life presence on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

3. ABORTION PILL REVERSAL

Rescue me, O Lord, from evil men; protect me from men of violence. – Psalm 140:1

The abortion pill consists of two pills – mifepristone and misoprostol. A woman who goes to an abortion clinic typically takes mifepristone at the clinic and is instructed to take the misoprostol 24 hours later.

Sometimes, women change their minds after they leave the clinic, but they have already started the abortion process by taking the first pill. They call pregnancy resource centers in tears and desperate to save their babies.

Thankfully, more than 800 healthcare professionals are part of the Abortion Pill Rescue Network and offer Abortion Pill Reversal (APR). APR is a protocol where women can take the hormone, progesterone, within 24-72 hours of taking only the first pill, mifepristone. She doesn’t take the misoprostol.

APR is 64-68% successful. There is currently a one-year study underway to determine if the progesterone increases the success rate, or if a woman can refrain from taking the misoprostol without taking progesterone.

More than 900 babies have been saved through APR so far, and more saved lives are the best of what to expect in 2020.

Let’s partner together and stay strong in 2020. Caring Network is thankful for our supporters, volunteers, and prayer warriors who have come alongside our work for the past 38 years. If you’d like to join in our life-saving mission, contact us today for more information.

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References:

Milligan, Susan. (2019, June 27). A Guide to Abortion Laws by State. Retrieved from https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/2019-06-27/a-guide-to-abortion-laws-by-state
Smith, Kate. (2019, October 2). Planned Parenthood has been building a secret abortion “mega-clinic” in Illinois. Retrieved from https://www.cbsnews.com/news/planned-parenthood-mega-clinic-to-open-in-illinois-response-to-restrictive-abortion-laws-exclusive-2019-10-02/