Interfaith effort aims to prevent abortion in Iron County

Intermountain Catholic

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From left, Dr. Terence Heath and medical assistant Katie Harris of The Cedar City Institute of Women's Health display the ultrasound machine that they will use to provide free exams to women in Iron County who have unplanned pregnancies. With them is Ed Hartry, Grand Knight of Council 11246 at Christ the King Parish in Cedar City, who helped organize the program that offers the free ultrasounds. IC photo/Marie Mischel

CEDAR CITY — More than 1 million women have abortions each year in the United States; about 4,000 of those are in Utah. While women have the legal right to terminate unwanted pregnancies, the Knights of Columbus Council 11246 at Christ the King Parish in Cedar City has organized a new multi-denominational effort to help women in Iron County reconsider their decision to abort their babies.

The Knights, like all Catholics, are very strong against abortion, said Ed Hartry, the council’s Grand Knight. "We say the rosary at our meetings to stop abortion."

The national Knights of Columbus offers a program that matches funds raised for ultrasound machines used to help women facing unwanted pregnancies. However, Hartry and fellow Knight P.J. Goodman felt that their small council wouldn’t be able to raise the necessary $10,000. The money aside, they also didn’t have an office to store and use the machine, or trained personnel to operate it.

Instead, Goodman talked over the idea with his neighbor, Jason Wilson, administrator of Valley View Medical Center. Wilson referred him to Terence Heath and Stephen Sanders, who operate The Cedar City Institute of Women’s Health. The two OB/GYN doctors offered to donate their state-of-the-art ultrasound machine, as well as their time, to help women with unplanned pregnancies.

The Knights then printed 1,000 brochures to advertise the free ultrasound program. On July 11 they met with a group of community faith leaders to ask them to distribute the brochures. They also plan to make the brochures available at local high schools, Southern Utah University and the health department.

Statistics show that 85 percent of women who are considering an abortion change their mind after they have an ultrasound, said Monsignor Michael Winterer, Christ the King pastor, who joined the Knights in their presentation to the interfaith group. The ultrasounds are one way to help prevent abortion, which is "murder of the unborn," Msgr. Winterer said. "People don’t like to hear it in those terms, but that’s what it is."

Catholics in Cedar City have a good relationship with members of other faiths, especially the Church of Latter-day Saints, Msgr. Winterer said; issues such as pro-life particularly draw the faiths together.

Both doctors are active LDS, but Heath sees the ultrasound program as a human obligation, not a religious matter. "It’s a basic responsibility that all of us have in life: to look out for one another," he said. Women of all faiths face unintended pregnancies, which puts them at risk medically, emotionally and physically, he added. As a doctor he has seen women who have had terminations "and almost inevitably there are some deep scars left there," he said.

Some women think that abortion is their only option, but during the ultrasound exam other options can be explored so they can make an informed choice, the doctor said.

"An ultrasound usually is a joyful experience for patients, who can see their baby on the screen," he said. "Even girls who aren’t sure what they’re going to do can’t help but smile and be touched by it."

Katie Harris, the medical assistant in Heath’s office, also will donate her time and talents to the ultrasound program. The mother of two young children, Harris said she thinks it might be helpful for patients to talk with another young person who isn’t judging them about their situation or the decision they ultimately will make.

The ultrasound can help women realize how early in a pregnancy the child develops, said Harris, who is an active Methodist. "To be able to see that face to face is a completely different experience."

Hartry acknowledges that the problem of abortions is nationwide, but because of resources the free ultrasound program is available only to Iron Country residents. "This is something we can do for our community here," he said.