Thirty pregnancy help medical professionals from 17 different U.S. states gathered recently for powerful clinical instruction the that has the potential to change lives.
The LOVE Approach Ultrasound Clinical (LAUC) is an innovative approach that recognizes the spirituality of medical professionals and clients while imparting rigorous education and applied training.
This latest LAUC was hosted by Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs. Since 2021 when it was launched, the program managed by Heartbeat International has trained 450 men and women with hands-on ultrasound skills. It is based on the venerable LOVE Approach pregnancy help training from Heartbeat International, the largest network of pregnancy help organizations in the U.S. and globally.
“We are honored to equip medical missionaries with skills they will take back to their own communities to serve in ways that will save and change lives,” said Christa Brown BSN, RN, director of Medical Impact for Heartbeat International.
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Brown described the critical nature of the impact ultra sonographers have with pregnancy help clients.
“As these medical professionals image life and introduce moms to their babies for the very first time, they provide valuable information to those who are making life or death decisions - choices that will impact them in every way possible,” she said.
LAUC offers personalized instruction with human models of various gestational ages, computer-generated scans with various pathologies, and scanning with phantom wombs.
The focus of the clinical event is on repetition and volume, along with spiritual encouragement and reinforcement of techniques and knowledge gained from the earlier didactic (classroom instruction) training, Brown said.
“The ideal participant is self-motivated and confident and needs a high volume of scans for training,” she said. “This training is fast-paced and filled with drills, techniques, and one-on-one instruction.
The clinical’s educators are also sonographers credentialed in RDMS (Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer) in OB/GYN and RNs who have multiple years of experience imaging in pregnancy help clinics.
Why is it so important to acknowledge and foster the spiritual aspect of individuals in the pregnancy help arena?
“When you are taking back life and truth from the hands of the enemy, there will always be a spiritual battle,” Brown said. “In our training, we prepare those about to serve to step up in this spiritual battle.”
“Serving as a medical missionary is not for the faint of heart,” said Brown.
Tweet This: Serving as a medical missionary in pregnancy help is not for the faint of heart.
Tammy Stearns RDMS, one of Heartbeat’s LAUC instructors, discussed the importance of incorporating the spiritual component in the sonography training.
“Too often, we separate the medical from the spiritual mentor side of pregnancy help,” Stearns explained. “LAUC places just as much emphasis on the spiritual aspect as the technical skills of ultrasound.”
“We are preparing medical professionals to be medical missionaries on the front lines imaging life,” she said. “We are preparing them for a battle between life and death. It is so much more than just a scan.”
Bryan Williams RDMS remarked as well on the battle for life in which pregnancy help personnel are engaged when serving clients.
“We are here to serve those that were called to this mission,” Williams said. “I’m privileged and humbled to be used by God to invest in the wonderful people He has called to the front lines.”
The didactic online portion of the training began in 2018 and since then Heartbeat’s Medical Impact team has served more than 1,000 ultrasound students in Heartbeat’s online Academy.
Besides the full didactic training, Heartbeat also offers a refresher course, a course specifically for RDMS, and a course for center medical directors who are reading the scans.
The LOVE Approach Ultrasound Clinical, which is the hands-on portion of training, has served more than 450 medical professionals to date with four more events scheduled in 2026.
Brown pointed to the efficacy of the LOVE Approach to ultrasonography.
“In post-event surveys, 100% of LAUC attendees state they left the event with tangible ways to enhance their ministries,” she said. “And the retention rate is remarkable. After six months, 98% of the attendees remain employed at their clinics. After one year, 94% remain.
At each LAUC participants are asked, “What surprised you?”
Below are some of the responses from the fall 2025 LAUC:
Kindness from everyone here - teachers & and other nurses.
Thankful for how we share the same goals, love, patience- all trainers and attendees.
Amazing from all over the U.S. all in same mission for glory of God.
Lit a fire in me.
How supported I felt through the whole thing, really encouraged.
Encouragement of your staff and support. I was impatient with myself, and you gave me faith and trust I can learn this.
Leave with the feeling of confidence.
Spiritual warfare emphasis, love, and positivity were incredible and powerful.
Enjoyed and learned so much - go back encouraged and eager to scan.
Spiritual part of it.
Empowered to be part of this movement, was able to trust the process.
God put the right people together for this event.
The patience the trainers had.
How fast paced it was but it worked. It stuck. The encouragement was incredible.
Spiritual part of it very helpful - expected to just sit in a classroom.
30 people from 17 different states all with same mission.
Together united in Christ.
Editor's note: Heartbeat International manages Pregnancy Help News.
