Austin, Texas, Jun 19, 2013 / 23:02 pm

A pro-life media group's ad campaign encouraging pregnant women to choose adoption has launched its third series of broadcasts after previous campaigns succeeded in reaching hundreds of women.

"We are optimistic that great things will happen over the upcoming weeks, and that lives will be saved as women are put into contact with trusted adoption resources," Marissa Cope, director of marketing, communication and research at the Austin-based Heroic Media, said June 18.

She said the latest campaign has received "the strongest response yet."

The commercial, titled "The Adoption Option," features a pregnant woman who tells the viewer why she plans to put her unborn child up for adoption.

"I'm pregnant, but I'm not in a position to care for this child," the woman says, placing her hand over her womb. "I want him to be with a family who will love him and give him the things that I can't."

"I've learned that through adoption, I can choose the family who will raise him. And I can receive help through the rest of my pregnancy," she continues. "Adoption just seems like the best option. For him, and for me."

The ad says that the woman can choose the adoptive family for her child and can receive support throughout her pregnancy. The ad refers women to the website or 24-hour hotline of Heroic Media's partner Bethany Christian Services, which provides resources and adoption counseling for pregnant women.

Since the ad's third campaign began to air on the Oxygen network on June 10, it has generated 122 calls to Bethany Christian Services, Heroic Media said.

Heroic Media said that one woman who was 22 weeks pregnant had scheduled an abortion in New York, but changed her mind after seeing the ad. The mother made an adoption plan with Bethany Christian Services and decided against the abortion.

Cope said that woman's story helped inspire the ad campaign to continue.

"We knew we had to keep airing this life-saving commercial after hearing the New York mother's story," she said. "Too often, women are not aware of all of their options, and we simply want to inform those experiencing an unplanned pregnancy that adoption may be a good option for them."

The third ad campaign will run through July 21.

The ad debuted in November 2012 on the Oxygen network, generating 240 contacts with Bethany Christian Services through its first campaign. The second campaign resulted in 470 contacts.

Heroic Media has used research-based media campaigns in its efforts to change minds about abortion through television commercials, internet adds, billboards and other media.

Its "Adoption Option" ad can be seen at its website http://www.heroicmedia.org/adoption.