This organization preys on people who are pregnant to give misleading information about abortions. They provide some accurate information on abortions, which appears to be a way to suggest that they will discuss all options with a pregnant person. However, they do not provide abortion referrals or any further information about how to find an abortion provider if a person is not interested in continuing a pregnancy.
Their website also has many inaccuracies:
* Claims that Maryland has a mandated 72 hour waiting period. This is objectively false. There is no waiting period in Maryland. https://www.abortionfinder.org/abortion-guides-by-state/abortion-in-maryland
* Claims that abortions after 20 weeks are "are currently banned in Maryland, but exceptions are made in cases where the pregnancy is putting the mother’s life or health at severe risk." This is partially true, but misleading. Abortions after viability (approx. 24 weeks, not 20) can be performed to save the pregnant person's life, to preserve the pregnant person's general physical or mental health, or if the fetus has suffered or will suffer from serious health issues during the pregnancy. People may seek abortion care after 26 weeks Partners in Abortion Care in College Park, MD. Partners offers all-trimester abortion care. https://partnersinabortioncare.com/
* Makes unsubstantiated claims such as, "Some may feel relief initially, but it’s often common to suffer symptoms of post abortion grief and trauma." Some people do feel grief after an abortion. Some have mixed feelings. Some feel nothing but relief for the rest of their lives. The idea that it is "common" to suffer post-abortion grief and trauma has no quantitative evidence or meaning. https://www.guttmacher.org/gpr/2006/08/abortion-and-mental-health-myths-and-realities
* Gives unsubstantiated information about so-called "Post Abortion Syndrome." This is not a real syndrome recognized by either the American Psychological Association or the American Psychiatric Association. Some people can experience PTSD or PTSD symptoms after seeking an abortion, just like one can experience PTSD after many different experiences. This can be informed by the abortion itself, but also by being ostracized from or berated by friends, family, and faith communities. An abortion is no more likely to contribute to PTSD than an unintended pregnancy that results in parenting a child or placing a child for adoption. https://www.guttmacher.org/gpr/2006/08/abortion-and-mental-health-myths-and-realities
They maintain a separate website, columbia-babies.org. This website openly discusses the faith-based nature of the organization, and provides no information on abortion (misleading or otherwise). Why is this? Why do they have a separate website at columbia-pregnancy.org that pretends to offer information about all options for a pregnant person?
Columbia Pregnancy Center should be required to clearly and openly advertise on all of their websites that it is faith-based and anti-abortion, and only provides services for pregnant people who are seeking resources specifically about continuing a pregnancy.
The Columbia Pregnancy Center works with women from all walks of life, providing free access to basic prenatal services, (including pregnancy tests, sonograms, free prenatal vitamins) educational resources (including parenting classes), supplies for parents to-be, and emotional support. The Pregnancy center community helps women on an individual basis, listening to their stories, and operating with love and compassion.
I have been volunteering at the Columbia Pregnancy center for 4 years now, and its impact is invaluable. My fellow volunteers and I are greatly humbled to be part of an organization who's main focus is to help the women in our community.
I'm honored to say that I had the opportunity of working for Columbia Pregnancy Center as an RN up until recently when we relocated out of the area for my husband's job. CPC empowers women (and their families!) to choose and nurture life. All of the volunteers and staff I worked with put their heart and soul into this organization and often went above and beyond. For example, staying later if someone just needed more time to talk. I was able to perform ultrasounds for our clients, and it was a wonderful experience getting to be with these women as they discovered and confirmed the truth of the sanctity of their baby's life. I loved when the women came back and visited with their babies! It's like a family here at the center. With much hard work and dedication from the director, CPC is able to offer so many services for free! One program called Earn While You Learn allows clients to come in and take classes and earn beautiful layettes in return. Columbia Pregnancy Center is such a blessing, where God's work is truly visible!
I had a tour and was inspired by what I saw. CPC does great work. God bless everyone involved with it.
I have volunteered for about 10 years and have seen the love and care that is extended to our clients in vulnerable positions by the staff and volunteers. We all are very dedicated to life and all that it encompasses. The programs and support have grown under the direction of our Executive Director. We have available sonograms, classes to learn how to care for newborn infants, layettes equal to each new mom getting a baby shower and much, much more. We highly respect each and every person that walks in the door needing assistance. I'm proud to be affiliated with the Columbia Pregnancy Center. It is a joy to be of help to others.
I love how the service and how they are with customers are very friendly and answer all questions which you have. the nurse was very good with me she offered the first look ultrasound of my baby could look without paying. the classes that are great and also are free. learned a lot about how to feed, and understand the baby when cries. I had a wonderful experiences with each staff after finishing the review videos class. They also helped me with prenatal pills which I loved because they are not like other pills. They help me a lot for the health of my baby take me easily. I am grateful and blessed with columbia pregnancy centers for their help by providing free benefits. thank you very much
The Columbia Pregnancy Center is a wonderful place. My wife has been attending the Columbia Pregnancy Center since she was probably two or three months pregnant. Our son is now 10 months old.
They offer a wide variety of educational classes and videos to help prepare you for the time leading up to giving birth and after. There are always helpful and caring people here to offer you guidance and assistance. And all of this is at no cost to you.
Several weeks before my wife was due to give birth they held a class that I attended. Being only several weeks away from becoming a first time father, you could imagine I was excited, but also a good deal nervous. My wife was going to be giving birth at a birthing center. We decided to go that route, rather than in the hospital. So it would be me, her and a couple of mid-wife's to go through the birth. A wonderful experience, but definitely intense for a father to be! Well I attended several classes at various places during the 9 months leading up to our son's birth. But of all the classes I attended, it was the one I attended at the Columbia Pregnancy Center that relieved my worry and in my opinion prepared me the most for the birth!
They had a very nice nurse come to speak to us from the Howard County General Hospital. She was very experienced and had birthed many babies. She went into great detail of what was going to happen on the big day. She was very articulate, reassuring, and real. During that class and after I felt so much more prepared for the birth of my son. My concerns and worries were addressed, by explaining to me what would happen, from a person who was an expert in births.
I only attended that one class at the Columbia Pregnancy Center. But everything my wife had told me was true. The women that work with The Columbia Pregnancy Center are generous and kind. They genuinely care about helping you.
Anytime they offer a class, or play date, my wife try's to attend with our son. She meets other mom's and always has a good time.
The Pregnancy Center is a non profit organization. They operate through individual and organization contributions. My wife and I are very appreciative for everyone and everything The Columbia Pregnancy Center has done for us. We look forward to the future when we can give back and show everyone there our appreciation. And through that, and through the staff at the center, we can hopefully impact and improve another families life. Like they have done for my wife and myself.
Thanks Columbia Pregnancy Center, you are appreciated!
All of the staff and volunteers are wonderful!! They have an earn while you learn program. I was able to learn how to take care of my baby while earning credits towards items my baby needed. With having some challenges during pregnancy and after they where so generous to me. I am definitely going to give back to them so they will be able to help another baby.