For seven hours Wednesday, Rockford drivers were warned of what's ahead. Dozens of pro-life advocates lined three busy intersections, preaching why they think abortion is bad.

"Even before a woman knows she's pregnant, she's got an identifiable baby in her body," says Joseph Scheidler, National Director of the Pro-Life Action League.

But is their approach effective? 23 News Political Analyst John McNamara says graphic images used in any protest discredit efforts. And so does foul language. Nationwide, we've been seeing a lot of debate about health care reform. McNamara says too often emotions drown out what's important.

"I'm all for protesting, civil disobedience is a wonderful thing we have in this country. But when it actually disrupts the actual content on both sides, trying to explain an issue, then I think it just disrupts and is a disservice to all of us who need to gain more knowledge," he says.

These anti-abortionists say by protesting, they're providing information that will potentially change minds.

"The women that stopped and told us they canceled their abortions that's the only proof i have of them is by word of mouth, they stopped and told us because of the pictures they didn't know that's what was going to happen," says Scheidler.

Annette Tuttle from the Rockford Area Pregnancy Care Center says that's not too far off base. Since similar protests land about a handful of indecisive women in her office each year.

"Sometimes they actually bring the women to us, they talk to the women and say we can get some help and they actually follow the women and take them to one of our centers," Tuttle says.

While the center doesn't offer or recommend abortion, its employees aren't allowed to protest on the street. Since protests are known to use such graphic material.

The Rockford Police Department did get several complaints about the pictures used in today's protest. No arrests were made. I talked to a few residents off camera about it. And the biggest gripe they have is the fact an American flag was used, which to them is a symbol of freedom, including freedom of choice.

There is one abortion clinic in Rockford, and that's the Northern Illinois Women's Center. They declined to comment on our story.