All Birthright services are free and confidential. Birthright services are available to women of any age, race, creed, economic or marital status.

Birthright began in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 1968, when Louise Summerhill, a busy housewife and mother of seven children felt that something should be done to help women through unplanned pregnancies. The grassroots response to her idea was overwhelming, and the Toronto chapter quickly grew into Birthright International, the world’s first international crisis pregnancy service.

Louise Summerhill was an ordinary woman who did something extraordinary to help others. Events in her own life helped her understand the feelings pregnant girls might experience, including feelings of loneliness, fear of criticism, tension with parents and even the shock of finding oneself unexpectedly pregnant.

Birthright began very humbly in 1968, with a one room office and only $300 in the bank. But Louise’s steady leadership and powerful vision ensured that the new pregnancy service survived. Louise was glad the organization did not begin with a lot of money. It caused Birthright to rely on the “good hearts and hard work of volunteers.” Over fifty years later, Birthright International remains true to Louise’s original vision of personal, one-on-one contact in helping relationships. Louise’s Birthright means “approachability and informality."