About Us

Over 50 Years Defending Life.
We've Come a Long Way Babies!

Founded in 1972, PULSE is the longest standing, non-profit organization in Iowa.  We are dedicated to protecting human life by informing, educating, and inspiring a new generation to value the sanctity of all human life from fertilization to natural death.

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We advocate at the state capital,
in classrooms, and at events across
Iowa on the following issues...

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Our History

A Pro-Life View Since '72

In 1972, a group of concerned Iowan’s gathered in Ames, Iowa to form the first statewide pro-life organization in Iowa’s history. Many of us had been working in our individual communities and had formed local organizations to educate the public on the life issues of abortion, infanticide, and euthanasia. All were illegal at that time, but strident, liberal, feminist groups were organizing across the country to challenge legislatures and the courts to change history.

We saw the need to unite our eight individual groups into a state-wide organization to be united in one voice and better able to lobby our cause at the Iowa State Capitol. We began to gather signatures for a petition to our state legislators to retain our 115-year-old Iowa law that forbade abortion. Feminist groups had initiated legislation to remove it.

Eight pro-life organizations from Des Moines, Ames, Dubuque, Sheldon-Hospers, Clinton, Sioux City, Waterloo, and Cedar Rapids were represented that day. We were men and women of different religious beliefs, professions, and political parties - all united in one basic belief - the right to life for ALL. We were not strictly an anti-abortion group. Our goal was to reflect our concern for all human life from fertilization until natural death.

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Roe vs Wade

On January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court ruled on a very important case, the Roe vs. Wade decision. Abortion on demand right up until the day of delivery was decided solely by a woman and her doctor. Needless to say, we were devastated! The anger, disappointment, and disbelief awakened and energized us all - including much of the general population who either did not
know or hear of the warnings we’d been issuing. By the end of the month, IFL grew from 8 to 11 affiliates.

We had nearly 30 affiliates the following June when our founder Carolyn Thompson went to Detroit to meet with representatives from other states to begin a national organization, as indeed this now was a national concern. Iowans For LIFE, later renamed Pulse, was the founding organization of Iowa in establishing the National Right to Life Committee in Detroit in June of 1973. In January of 1974, as National Director from Iowa, Carolyn proudly presented our Senator, Harold Hughes, to the thousands of marchers at the U.S. Capitol for the first annual March for Life. Senator Hughes was the co-sponsor of the Human Life Amendment.

Enacting Bills. Impacting Lives.

On January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court ruled on a very important case, the Roe vs. Wade decision. Abortion on demand right up until the day of delivery was decided solely by a woman and her doctor. Needless to say, we were devastated! The anger, disappointment, and disbelief awakened and energized us all - including much of the general population who either did not
know or hear of the warnings we’d been issuing. By the end of the month, IFL grew from 8 to 11 affiliates.

We had nearly 30 affiliates the following June when our founder Carolyn Thompson went to Detroit to meet with representatives from other states to begin a national organization, as indeed this now was a national concern. Iowans For LIFE, later renamed Pulse, was the founding organization of Iowa in establishing the National Right to Life Committee in Detroit in June of 1973. In January of 1974, as National Director from Iowa, Carolyn proudly presented our Senator, Harold Hughes, to the thousands of marchers at the U.S. Capitol for the first annual March for Life. Senator Hughes was the co-sponsor of the Human Life Amendment.

Defenders of the Defenseless

The original make-up of the Board of Directors consisted largely of members of the medical and legal profession. Doctors and nurses were among the first to deal directly with the life issues and challenges to them. Therefore, in the early years, we embarked on campaigns to educate the general public in the areas of fetal development and the humanity of the unborn.

The debate then shifted to the quality of life and if that child was to be considered “worthy” of life, to the recent challenges to the elderly, infirm, and disabled where assisted suicide is suggested as the only humane solution. Chemical abortions have arrived and now more than ever, Pulse must redouble its efforts to do what it does best and what it was originally created to do. To EDUCATE!

Get An Education in Life

Pulse became a force to be recognized, educationally and politically, and our efforts on behalf of the unborn, disabled and elderly have been effective. It is true that there have been times of frustration. The past 40 years have shown us that it’s not easy - we have to fight for everything we get and then fight even harder to keep it. But we have the staying power to win and we’re committed to staying with it until we reestablish the right to life for all.

Put Your Finger On the Pulse

Pulse is totally reliant on the donations of the pro-life community. For more information, call our executive director, Maggie DeWitte at (515) 255-4113.

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