Have you ever been in a situation in your life where you didn’t know what to do? Did you have family or friends that you could turn to? What if you didn’t? What would you have done without the support that you needed?

The Starkville Pregnancy Care Center (SPCC) exists to step in and provide assistance for people in difficult circumstances. Let’s be very careful not to paint pregnancy in broad strokes. A women’s gift to carry a child is a blessing and a cause for celebration! But an unplanned pregnancy can be intimidating. That’s where the SPCC shines. They provide a variety of services and resources to prospective mothers. They provide education about the different options available to mothers and offer pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, STI/STD testing, as well as post-abortive support for men and women.

From Carol Lee
Executive Director of the SPCC
In 2011, a small group of individuals started praying about the need for a pregnancy center in Starkville because this was the only SEC town without one. After doing research and working with national organizations, the group established a steering committee, and the paperwork was submitted to incorporate the Center. Starkville Pregnancy Care Center was incorporated in the State of Mississippi in January of 2012 and received its 501(c)(3) status from the Internal Revenue Service in May 2012. In July 2012, the Starkville Pregnancy Care Center was registered with the Mississippi Secretary of State as a charitable organization that can solicit funds within the State of Mississippi. In September 2012, the transition was made from a Steering Committee to a Board of Directors. A Festival for Life was held in October 2012 to introduce the ministry of Starkville Pregnancy Care Center to the community and to start garnering financial support. Our first major fundraising banquet was held in April 2013 and raised $191,000.00. In July 2013, we signed a lease on office space at 301B Academy Road, Starkville, MS. In 2017, the Board of Directors decided the time had come to purchase a permanent home. After months of searching and raising funds through generous donors, a building became available for purchase. 

In May of 2019, they made the purchase and began the renovations at 402 University Drive. God continues to grow and provide resources so they can continue to serve those who are facing an unexpected pregnancy. As of today, they have served over 1,000 new clients and performed 903 ultrasounds. The Lord has given them the privilege of being a part of the 174 lives He has saved through the Starkville Pregnancy Care Center.

Education, Support, and Affirming Life
The SPCC recognizes that an unplanned pregnancy can be overwhelming, and they want to come alongside new mothers to educate them about abortion, adoption, and parenting. They want to empower women to choose for themselves how they’ll proceed with their pregnancy. Before you take any action, you need all the facts. The SPCC provides many services to help new mothers. First, they offer lab-quality pregnancy tests, which have higher accuracy and a lower margin of error than regular over-the-counter pregnancy tests. If they determine that you are pregnant, the SPCC can provide you with a limited obstetric ultrasound for free. This free service will verify the results of the pregnancy test, and it will help determine the viability of the pregnancy. It will also rule out some medical issues, such as an ectopic pregnancy.

Ectopic Pregnancy: An ectopic pregnancy, also known as a tubal pregnancy, occurs when the fertilized egg implants somewhere other than the uterus, usually in one of the fallopian tubes. The wrongly implanted egg can cause the tube to burst. This is very serious and can be fatal.

In addition to education and ultrasounds, the SPCC provides post-abortive support to both men and women. Much of the discussion around abortion is focused on the medical details of the procedure. As a result, the potential emotional side effects of the process often go unaddressed, leading to the marginalization of people struggling to process their abortion experience. These emotional side effects can develop into detrimental conditions such as eating disorders, depression, and anxiety. The SPCC recognizes that mental health is just as important as physical health, and they want to provide a safe place for individuals that have been affected negatively by abortion to find the help they need. The SPCC’s post-abortive support program is strictly confidential and provided free of charge to our community.

Education & Support
A sophomore in college supporting herself was concerned about how her family would respond to her unexpected pregnancy and did not see any other option but to end her pregnancy. After confirming her pregnancy, giving her evidence-based education, and conducting a life-affirming ultrasound, the client decided she would face the obstacles ahead of her. She joined our first time parenting class and gave birth to a baby boy. She sent the following email a few months ago and said we could share this: Everything I learned in the First Time Mom’s class, I applied to my new role as a mom. He [my son] makes me proud to be his mom!

The SPCC endeavors to look past the circumstances, stigmas, and the procedures themselves to ensure they are helping the people that come through their doors. They’re providing a safe place for men and women to find the support they need for what may be a difficult time in their lives.

Affirming Life
A client who wanted to end her pregnancy visited the center. She received a life-affirming ultrasound. Afterwards, she said, “There is no way I could abort after seeing my baby. Thank you so much! Y’all have given me the strength I needed.

FBC Starkville regularly supports the SPCC throughout the year through events, such as the yearly Baby Bottle Boomerang. You can personally support them by participating in their annual Walk of Heroes fundraising walk or you can donate online at starkvillepregnancycarecenter.com/donate.