The Importance of Pregnancy Centers

July 14, 2020

Although most of my close friends know my mom works at a pregnancy center, I don’t get to have a lot of conversations with them that go deeper than that simple fact. My mom, Robin Mauck, is the executive director of Obria Medical Clinics, which is a non-profit clinic that focuses on the needs of women in the Metro Atlanta area. While interviewing my mom this week, I learned a lot about different aspects of her job. The job requires someone who is incredibly grounded, stable, and empathetic—my mom is one of those people.

The first question I asked her was “What does a regular day at the clinic look like?” My mom explained that, “Every day is different depending on the patients that arrive. Some are confident that they want to have their baby, but many are dealing with homelessness, joblessness, an abusive relationship, no support, a boyfriend or husband who has just left her, and friends and family encouraging her to have an abortion.”

There are not a lot of programs available to women without proper funding in the U.S., but Obria is one of the few clinics that takes care of their female community by offering many free services to women who are facing homelessness, joblessness, or any other factors that would contribute to them being unable to support a child. When I asked my mom whether Obria offered services outside of pregnancy check-ups and ultrasounds, she responded by saying, “Yes! Full panel STD testing and treatment, Well Woman Exams, Pregnancy Education, Life Coaching, and we plan to begin full prenatal care in the fall.” It is so important that women have access to these resources, even if they don’t have the funding that other clinics would require.

I asked my mom why she wanted to work at a pregnancy clinic, and she responded, “Back in 2016, I was a homeschool mom and my world was very Christian oriented.  I wanted to get out and serve in the community where I came in contact with lost people. I’ve always loved babies (had 6 of my own) and it was just a good fit for me to be in a position to help women keep their babies, and show them the love of Christ”.  It was important for my mom to break out of the Christian bubble she was living in, in order to bring true help and love to her community. I believe her doing so, has helped countless lives over the last several years.

My mom communicated to me how common it is to have an unplanned pregnancy, and how it effects most families. For women who feel they don’t have the resources to have their baby, because they didn’t plan to get pregnant, Obria is a great resource that will walk with them, and provide care that those women would not be able to get at another clinic.

Lastly, my mom feels that her job is rewarding, not only because it has kingdom significance, but also because they are saving and changing lives every day. With that said, I would like to encourage you to volunteer at a pregnancy center, learn about the struggles women in the U.S. face every day, and how pregnancy centers help aid in their journey to becoming a mother.

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