Ryanzo W. Perez / Shutterstock.com
CV NEWS FEED // More than 1,600 leaders, medical professionals, and advocates from 44 states and more than 20 countries gathered in Birmingham, Alabama, last week for Heartbeat International’s annual conference, the largest of its kind in the world.
Founded in 1971 as Alternatives to Abortion International, Heartbeat International has been at the forefront of the pregnancy support movement for over half a century, according to the Washington Stand. The organization now has a global reach. Of its 3,647 pregnancy help affiliates, 1,357 are outside the U.S.
“Pregnancy help outreach was successful even when the laws weren’t, rescuing hundreds of thousands of lives each year,” Heartbeat President Jor-El Godsey said, referencing the movement’s perseverance even under the shadow of Roe v. Wade.
This year’s conference focused on collaboration across sectors — from ultrasound technology to parenting education — with participants united in their commitment to offering women real choices.
He noted that Heartbeat’s 2024 achievements included 2,164,043 in-person client visits at affiliated centers and 1,924 abortion pill reversal (APR) procedures. From 2022 to May 2025, Heartbeat’s affiliate network of residential maternity homes has grown 17%, from 426 to 498.
These gains have come in the face of increasing political hostility. Godsey pointed to opposition from the State of California, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. In Massachusetts, abortions rose by over 37% in the past year, according to Godsey. The abortion pill reversal procedure is a particular target, as “apparently the very idea of a woman choosing to change her mind after starting an abortion offends the abortion industry’s agenda,” he noted.
On the final day of the conference, the movement paused to honor Peggy Hartshorn, longtime leader of Heartbeat International, as she assumed the title of president emeritus. Offering a note of spiritual encouragement, she said: “God will use people from every walk of life, every profession, every business background, no matter what it is. He doesn’t call the equipped; He equips the called.”
