We are speaking about issues that people are talking
about and need to be addressed by the Church. Here we continue our comments on
abortion, a blog written in response to a question asked by this author’s
millennial niece: What do you think about abortion, and you can say whatever
you want?!
Today’s Scene:
Apparently, many millennials are more pro-life than their baby-boomer parents.
The annual rate of abortion in the United States has been declining in recent
years (see table below). Why are abortions declining? The theories include
increased availability of the morning-after pill, better education and
understanding of contraceptives, and a declining birth rate. It can also be
because of the pro-life movement, who provide education and support of
expectant mothers.
An interesting fact is
that abortion clinics are closing across the United States. In 2017, there were
780 abortion clinics nationally. As of 2019, that number reduced to 755. Why
the reduction? Finances is important factor, since many seeking abortions can
be lower income mothers. There are less pregnancies and people are choosing to
terminate at home (again, the morning after pill). State regulations may
inhibit some clinics and anti-abortion protestors outside the clinic may be
another factor.
Being an abortion doctor
can be hazardous to your health: a string of high-profile assassinations of
abortionists have clearly encouraged some to close their doors. Of course, most
pro-lifers condemn these assassinations; since the ‘right to life’ extends to
abortion doctors, too.
Public opinion is slowly
shifting toward the pro-life stance. Even Norma McCorvey, the ‘Jane Roe’ in Roe
vs. Wade, apparently defected from the ‘pro-choice’ to ‘pro-life’ camp. The
2015 revelation from surreptitious videos that Planned Parenthood medical staff
were selling aborted baby body parts (clearly an illegal act) keeps this
divisive issue on the front page.
|
Year
|
Number of reported abortions to CDC
|
Abortions compared to 1000 live
births
|
|
1970
|
193,491
|
52
|
|
1971
|
485,816
|
137
|
|
1972
|
586,760
|
180
|
|
1973
|
(Roe v. Wade 22 January) 615,831
|
196
|
|
1978
|
1,157,776
|
347
|
|
1979
|
1,251,921
|
358
|
|
1980
|
1,297,606
|
359
|
|
1981
|
1,300,760
|
358
|
|
1990
|
1,429,247
|
345
|
|
1991
|
1,388,937
|
339
|
|
1997
|
1,186,039
|
274
|
|
1998
|
884,273
|
264
|
|
1999
|
861,789
|
256
|
|
2013
|
664,435
|
200
|
|
2014
|
652,639
|
193
|
|
2015
|
638,169
|
188
|
|
2016
|
623,471
|
186
|
Abortion
Statistics in the United States of America (Select Years)Statistics
courtesy of Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion_statistics_in_the_United_States
Abortion
Rates in Australia
|
Year
|
Estimated number of abortions
|
|
1985
|
46,500
|
|
1990
|
80,113
|
|
1995
|
90,182
|
|
2000
|
74,888
|
|
2005
|
70,153
|
|
2010
|
66,200
|
|
2015
|
54,700
|
http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/policy/abortion/ab-australia.html
The United Kingdom has had
legal abortions since 1969. Since then the rates of abortion have increased
275%. The highest rate for one year was 205,598 in 2007 (England & Wales;
Scotland’s highest was 13,908 in 2008). Until recently abortion was illegal in
Northern Ireland. Altogether, there have been 9,120,000 abortions in the UK
during the 50 years period from 1968-2018.
|
YEAR
|
ESTIMATED NUMBER OF ABORTIONS IN THE UK
|
|
1970
|
91,819
|
|
1975
|
147,029
|
|
1980
|
168,808
|
|
1985
|
181,062
|
|
1990
|
197,131
|
|
1995
|
174,781
|
|
2000
|
197,372
|
|
2005
|
207,018
|
|
2010
|
209,057
|
|
2015
|
203,148
|
Statistics courtesy of: https://www.abort73.com/abortion_facts/uk_abortion_statistics/
To be continued
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