Contact: Kristin Hansen, Care Net, 703-554-8742

LANSDOWNE, VA, Feb. 27 /Christian Newswire/ -- Care Net President Melinda Delahoyde responded to news Friday that President Obama has directed the Department of Health and Human Services to overturn regulations that protect medical professionals from being forced to perform or refer for abortion. "Our nation's physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers have the right to practice medicine without violating their conscience. To remove these protections is to ultimately remove these individuals of integrity from the field of medicine entirely," Delahoyde said. "That's not an action that we as Americans should be willing to accept."

Delahoyde said that her network of 1,160 pregnancy center affiliates will feel the damaging blow of this action, if implemented. "Pregnancy centers empower women facing unplanned pregnancy to choose abortion alternatives," Delahoyde said. "To accomplish this, we offer critical, free medical services, such as limited obstetrical ultrasounds and STD testing. Because of our commitment to providing alternatives to abortion, we rely on the availability of pro-life medical professionals - nurses, OB-GYNs, nurse practitioners, sonographers, and others. If the rights of these individuals are violated, then they will simply leave the field of practice or not enter it altogether. With more than 470 pregnancy centers in the Care Net network that offer medical services, we're simply not willing to take that risk."

Care Net will be mobilizing its network and supporters to provide comment to the Department of Health and Human Services on the Administration's proposal to overturn the regulations. In addition, Care Net has filed as an intervener in a lawsuit filed by state attorney generals and Planned Parenthood that challenges the federal regulations protecting the right of conscience.

Care Net's National Medical Consultant Sandy Christiansen, MD was interviewed by CNN to share her story of discrimination during her residency. Dr. Christiansen now serves as the medical director of Care Net Pregnancy Center of Frederick, MD. Dr. Christiansen's story is available on the Care Net website.

For interviews with Melinda Delahoyde or Dr. Sandy Christiansen, contact the Care Net press office.