BillLawrenceOnline

Magnolia Founders Explain Why Pregnancy Centers Are Needed — Magnolia Women’s Center’s open house, Saturday, Jan. 27, let a crowd of 30 hear its founders explain its purpose, and testify about their abortions and inconvenient pregnancies.

The crisis pregnancy center is at 7811 Frankford Ave., Philadelphia. It provides an alternative to abortion for women pregnant and without support.

Executive Director Melissa Aguilera noted that 60 percent of abortions are to women who were pressured into it. She said studies indicate that 80 precent of women would not have chosen abortion if there were alternatives.

Ms. Aguilera said abortions are traumatic. She said she had two at 16 and 19. She’s 50 now.

“I still break down in tears for my babies,” she said.

Dr. Tiffany Schatz, a surgeon, is assisting Ms. Aguilera. Dr. Schatz became pregnant while starting her internship. Abortion was certainly an option but she didn’t consider it. The experience was difficult but she has no regrets, she said.

She was, and remains, married to the father.

She became pregnant a second time after her practice became established but it was clear early that the child would have disabilities. Dr. Schatz said her husband became concerned that he would be able to handle such a child and actually pushed for an abortion. She said no but agreed to put the child up for adoption. To her surprise, her husband vetoed the idea saying nobody could raise the child better than he.

So she is the proud and loving mom of two wonderful boys.

While taking questions from the audience Dr. Schatz noted that trained doctors know they are killing but compartmentalize. She said the life in the womb feels pain at eight weeks. She said that Ob/Gyns are very unlikely to perform abortions albeit progressives in the education field are working hard to change this.

Dr. Schatz warned of taking abortion pills more than a few weeks into the pregnancy as the baby’s body parts can remain inside the woman which could lead to fatal bleeding. With the advent of online access to these pills and telemedicine, emergency room visits from women hemorrhaging have become common.

Dr. Schatz said Magnolia avoids politics and does not prevent women from getting abortions. She pointed out the there are four abortion clinics within 20 minutes of Magnolia.

Both women emphasized the need for money as it will cost about $130,000 per year to run it. The audience was asked to suggest to their churches about making it a fundraising cause.

Ms. Aguilera also tells why she started Magnolia in this video.

Magnolia Founders Explain Why Pregnancy Centers Are Needed