An 18-year-old woman found herself all alone when she discovered that she was pregnant.

She was estranged from her mother, and the boyfriend who she was living with told her that she had to either move out or have an abortion.

Who could she turn to?

Fortunately, someone directed the young woman to a pregnancy resource center where, for the first time, someone actually listened to what she wanted. She felt encouraged, and the volunteers helped her to reconcile with her mother. Through the pregnancy center, the young woman received the resources and support that no one else was giving her.

She is just one of the hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvania women who found help at a pregnancy resource center.

Here in Pennsylvania, we recognize the critical need to provide support for pregnant and new moms so they don’t feel like abortion is their only choice. Real Alternatives, the state alternatives to abortion program, believes the answer to a crisis pregnancy is not to get rid of the baby but to get rid of the crisis.

“If the best we can do in this society is offer a woman in a crisis pregnancy an abortion, we have ceased to become the greatest nation on earth,” said Kevin Bagatta, the president and CEO of Real Alternatives.

Every year, Real Alternatives centers help more and more women and their families. Last year, 19,325 women were provided comprehensive free, caring and compassionate pregnancy and parenting services, according to a press release from the organization.

Their services are very much needed. Studies have found that more than half of all abortion-minded women are being pressured into making the decision. Pregnancy centers offer support to women so they don’t feel trapped into having an abortion.

Women and their babies deserve better. If you or someone you know is pregnant and needs help, click here to find pregnancy resources near you.