As the largest gathering in the pregnancy help community approaches those behind the event note that the trainings that will be presented are a direct answer to the needs and desires of the movement.
Heartbeat’s Annual Pregnancy Help Conference kicks off March 24 with a special In-Depth Day training before the regular Conference run of March 25-27. The in-person conference takes place in Cincinnati with a concurrent virtual conference as well.
Heartbeat International is the largest network of pregnancy help organizations in the U.S. and globally, with around 4,000 affiliates in more than 100 countries worldwide. Its annual pregnancy help conference is likewise the premier pregnancy help event internationally.
In planning its conferences each year Heartbeat customarily weighs attendee feedback from prior conferences along with trends in the pregnancy help world. The 2026 conference programming is a consequently a “You asked, we answered” response on the part of Heartbeat with workshops addressing topics of interest and concern in pregnancy help.
This year’s conference features 144 workshops in total - 84 offered in person and 60 available virtually - giving pregnancy help personnel many ways to engage with training that is most relevant to their ministry.
“Our goal is that every attendee leaves feeling equipped, encouraged, and better prepared for the work God has called them to do,” said Kathy Jerman, director of Affiliate Services for Heartbeat International. “Whether someone is new to pregnancy help or has been serving for decades, we want them to find training that speaks directly to their role and strengthens their ministry.”
Heartbeat International had 347 workshop submissions for consideration this year.
“We were excited to see this,” Jerman said. “It shows the strength, diversity, and expertise of our movement.”
“We had to make some tough choices,” she added. “Because of the volume and impressive quality, only 41.5% of workshops could be accepted—which means every session made the cut because it’s highly relevant, well-developed, and mission-advancing.”
“You can be confident that you and your team’s time will be well invested,” said Jerman.
Tweet This: 'You asked, we answered" - Heartbeat International on its workshops addressing topics of interest and concern in pregnancy help.
As the Heartbeat team plans the Conference each year, they are very deliberate about handpicking content that is timely, relevant, and responsive to the real challenges and opportunities leaders are facing right now, Jerman said.
“We listen carefully to feedback from past conferences, pay attention to emerging trends in the pregnancy help movement, and consider the questions and needs we hear regularly from affiliates across the country,” she said. “Our heart is to provide training that is not only practical and applicable, but also forward-looking - helping leaders navigate today’s realities while preparing their ministries for the future.”
At the heart of conference planning is a deep desire to make sure there is truly something for everyone on a pregnancy help team, said Jerman.
‘We work very intentionally to curate content that serves the many different roles within a pregnancy help organization,” she said. “We want our affiliates to feel confident bringing anyone from their team, whether that’s a board member, executive director, client services leader, medical professional, marketing or development staff member, volunteer coordinator, or those leading specialized programs.”
Conference workshops reflect the wide scope of ministry happening in pregnancy help today, Jerman added. That includes training for areas such as maternity housing, after-abortion care, sexual risk avoidance education, and fatherhood programs. The conference will also offer sessions designed specifically for leaders of small and rural centers, recognizing the unique challenges and opportunities they experience.
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In addition to program-focused training, the conference provides practical leadership and organizational development content. Attendees will find workshops on building healthy teams, navigating human resources challenges, legal considerations, and advocacy issues that impact pregnancy help organizations.
“We also want leaders to leave not only equipped professionally but renewed personally,” Jerman said.
The conference includes sessions focused on leadership development, soul care and spiritual renewal, strategic insights for the future of ministry, “trending now” topics affecting pregnancy help, and practical training on metrics, reporting, and ministry effectiveness.
Key areas covered at Heartbeat Conference
Several key areas received additional emphasis this year based on feedback from past conferences.
“One of the themes we’ve heard repeatedly from attendees is the need for more training on fatherhood programs and ministering to men,” Jerman said. “Because of that feedback, we intentionally expanded the content this year.”
The conference includes an In-Depth Day dedicated to fatherhood programs, along with four in-person workshops and three virtual workshops focused on engaging fathers and strengthening ministry to men.
Leaders of smaller ministries also asked for more relevant training.
“We hear regularly from leaders of small and rural centers who want content that reflects their unique challenges and realities,” Jerman said. “We want them to know that this conference is for them as well.”
This year’s event includes an In-Depth Day specifically focused on rural and small centers, along with additional workshop content that addresses their unique ministry context.
Another significant focus this year is board leadership and governance.
“Board leadership is an area I feel especially strongly about,” Jerman told Pregnancy Help News. “When our Affiliate Services team connects with executive directors across the country, the topic of boards comes up again and again. In fact, when we track affiliate inquiries, board-related questions are consistently at the top of the list.”
Serving on the board of a pregnancy help organization is more than attending meetings, noted Jerman. “It carries legal, fiduciary, spiritual, and leadership responsibilities.
“Board members are truly stewards of the mission,” she said.
“We often see boards enthusiastically send their executive director and staff to conference, but not consider attending themselves simply because they aren’t aware there is training designed specifically for them,” Jerman said. “Leadership starts at the top, so it’s critical that boards are well trained and equipped to guide their organizations through growth, transitions, expanding services, and the cultural challenges our ministries face.”
To support that need, the conference includes a board-focused In-Depth Day led by Peggy Hartshorn, former Heartbeat president and longtime Heartbeat Board chair, and author of the Heartbeat Governing Essentials manual. There are also four in-person workshops and one virtual workshop dedicated to board leadership, governance, and healthy board–executive director relationships.
Adoption remains an important topic as well.
“Adoption has always been an essential part of our conference content,” Jerman said. “It’s vital that pregnancy help organizations are equipped to confidently present adoption as a life-affirming option and explain what modern, ethical adoption really looks like.”
The adoption workshops will help leaders address common misconceptions about adoption and provide practical guidance on building strong relationships with trusted Christian adoption agencies. This year’s conference includes two in-person workshops and two virtual workshops focused specifically on adoption.
Connecting pregnancy help organizations at the state level
Another area seeing significant growth is collaboration among pregnancy help organizations at the state level.
“We’re seeing more and more leaders come together to form state coalitions,” Jerman said. “Some are just getting started, while others are transitioning from informal networks into more formal organizations (such as 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), or 501(c)(6) entities).”
“To support this momentum, the conference will feature a special workshop on how to start a state coalition,” Jerman said, “followed by a networking gathering for coalition leaders from across the country.”
There will also be a virtual workshop focused on coalition development.
The Heartbeat Conference also has three AI-specific in-person workshops this year to assist and support pregnancy help personnel in navigating the latest in technology to best serve their ministries and clients.
“Ultimately,” Jerman said, “we want every person who attends to walk away with new insight, renewed vision, and practical tools they can take back to their organization to strengthen their team, serve their clients well, and advance the life-affirming mission in their community.”
Heartbeat International Annual Conference information is available HERE.
Editor's note: Heartbeat International manages Pregnancy Help News.
