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A US-based pro-life organization is equipping communities in Cuba and Colombia with handheld ultrasound technology, aiming to support women in crisis pregnancies with tools that reveal the humanity of unborn life.
PassionLife, a global missions group working with local Christian leaders, says the devices are being used to reach women in areas where abortion is prevalent and prenatal support is often limited, according to a press release from the organization.
Cuba has the highest abortion rate in Latin America, with 729 abortions reported for every 1,000 live births. In Colombia, a 2022 court decision decriminalized abortion through the first 24 weeks of pregnancy.
Pro-life leaders say women in both countries often lack access to medical resources that might influence their decisions.
“In Colombia, I had the opportunity to train nurses how to do ultrasounds,” PassionLife’s Dr. Randal Hartline said in the release. “The ultrasounds show that this is a living child with a heartbeat and movement.”
He noted that even basic visual confirmation of life can be persuasive.
“If they can just show women a heartbeat, the majority will change their mind and carry their child to term,” he said.
The portable scanners are cost-effective, simple to use, and suitable for deployment in rural or low-resource settings, according to the organization.
“They can be taken to the most remote areas to reveal to women they are carrying a life wonderfully made,” Hartline said. “Even people with no medical background and limited education can be trained to use these scanners.”
PassionLife teams travel regularly to both countries, distributing equipment and training pastors and volunteers to offer both practical and pastoral support. Educational materials on bioethics, crisis intervention, and pro-life apologetics are also being translated and shared locally.
“Many staff and volunteers are feeling the turning of the tide against the protection of human life,” PassionLife President John Ensor said. “We’ve taken the initiative to provide lifesaving technology and support for pregnant women in need — and their babies.”
