Monday, September 22, 2008

Abortion

WORLDWIDE

Number of abortions per year: Approximately 42 Million
Number of abortions per day: Approximately 115,000

[The Alan Guttmacher Institute. (www.agi-usa.org)]

UNITED STATES

Number of abortions per year: 1.37 Million (1996)
Number of abortions per day: Approximately 3,700

1% of all abortions occur because of rape or incest; 6% of abortions occur because of potential health problems regarding either the mother or child, and 93% of all abortions occur for social reasons (i.e. the child is unwanted or inconvenient).


Study: Abortion increases suicide risk
13-year examination also finds higher rate of accidents, homicide

Women who have an abortion face a 248 percent greater risk of suicide, accidental death or homicide in the following year, according to a newly released 13-year Finnish study.

The survey also found the suicide rate among women who had an abortion was six times higher than for women who had given birth in the prior year and double that of women who had miscarriages.

The study was conducted by Finland’s National Research and Development Center for Welfare and Health and published in the European Journal of Public Health. The researchers studied data from the years 1987 to 2000 on all deaths among women of reproductive age, 15 to 49.

While the risk of death among women who had given birth in the prior year was lowest, death from suicide, accidents and homicide was highest among women who had an abortion in the previous year.

Women who had been pregnant had less than half the death rate of women who had not been pregnant. The risk of death for women who had suffered a miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy did not noticeably differ from women who had not been pregnant.

The findings confirm other studies carried out in the United States, as well as Finland, that showed an increase in the death risk of women who have abortions.

In 1997, a government-funded study in Finland found that women who had abortions were 3.5 times more likely to die the following year than women who had given birth.

Furthermore, researchers looking at death records linked to medical payments for birth and abortion for 173,000 California women discovered there was a 62 percent higher chance of death for aborting women than delivering women over the eight-year period that was examined.

The study also found that the increase in the risk of death was from suicides and accidents. It showed a 154 percent higher risk of death from suicide and 82 percent higher risk of death from accidental injuries.

The main author of the California study, David Reardon, said record-linkage studies like this one are key to getting an accurate picture of pregnancy associated mortality rates.

"In most cases, coroners simply have no way of knowing that the deceased recently had an abortion, which is why these new record-linkage studies are so important," Reardon said.

Government health officials in Finland found in a recent study that 94 percent of maternal deaths involving abortion could not be identified by merely looking at a death certificate. This discovery applies to the data published by the Centers for Disease Control in the U.S.

Also, previous studies draw links between women who get abortions and an increase in substance abuse, anxiety, sleep disorders, suicidal thoughts, psychiatric illness, relationship problems and risk-taking behavior, which could easily lead to death by suicide or accident.

Beyond that, authors of the new Finland study suggested there might be common risk factors between having induced abortion and dying from accidental injury. They called on medical professionals to be aware of these risks.

"Women seeking abortions should be informed that abortion is associated with significant physical and mental health risks, and it also deprives them of numerous physical and mental health benefits associated with childbirth." Reardon said.

He added, it's "especially important for health care providers to be aware of these risks and the risk factors which identify those women who are at highest risk."

"Providing women with the resources to help them resolve emotional issues relating to past abortions will not only increase their well-being but may possibly save their lives," he said..

(the above is from: http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/printer-friendly.asp?ARTICLE_ID=47705 )

10 comments:

Jeff said...

Who's having abortions (age)?
52% of women obtaining abortions in the U.S. are younger than 25: Women aged 20-24 obtain 32% of all abortions; Teenagers obtain 20% and girls under 15 account for 1.2%.

Who's having abortions (race)?
While white women obtain 60% of all abortions, their abortion rate is well below that of minority women. Black women are more than 3 times as likely as white women to have an abortion, and Hispanic women are roughly 2 times as likely.

Who's having abortions (marital status)?
64.4% of all abortions are performed on never-married women; Married women account for 18.4% of all abortions and divorced women obtain 9.4%.

Who's having abortions (religion)?
Women identifying themselves as Protestants obtain 37.4% of all abortions in the U.S.; Catholic women account for 31.3%, Jewish women account for 1.3%, and women with no religious affiliation obtain 23.7% of all abortions. 18% of all abortions are performed on women who identify themselves as "Born-again/Evangelical".

Who's having abortions (income)?
Women with family incomes less than $15,000 obtain 28.7% of all abortions; Women with family incomes between $15,000 and $29,999 obtain 19.5%; Women with family incomes between $30,000 and $59,999 obtain 38.0%; Women with family incomes over $60,000 obtain 13.8%.

Why women have abortions
1% of all abortions occur because of rape or incest; 6% of abortions occur because of potential health problems regarding either the mother or child, and 93% of all abortions occur for social reasons (i.e. the child is unwanted or inconvenient).

At what gestational ages are abortions performed:
52% of all abortions occur before the 9th week of pregnancy, 25% happen between the 9th & 10th week, 12% happen between the 11th and 12th week, 6% happen between the 13th & 15th week, 4% happen between the 16th & 20th week, and 1% of all abortions (16,450/yr.) happen after the 20th week of pregnancy.

Likelihood of abortion:
An estimated 43% of all women will have at least 1 abortion by the time they are 45 years old. 47% of all abortions are performed on women who have had at least one previous abortion.

Abortion coverage:
48% of all abortion facilities provide services after the 12th week of pregnancy. 9 in 10 managed care plans routinely cover abortion or provide limited coverage. About 14% of all abortions in the United States are paid for with public funds, virtually all of which are state funds. 16 states (CA, CT, HI, ED, IL, MA , MD, MD, MN, MT, NJ, NM, NY, OR, VT, WA and WV) pay for abortions for some poor women.

from:
http://www.abortionno.org/Resources/fastfacts.html

Jeff said...

The Pill – Progesterone only, low dose combination pills
The Physician’s Desk Reference lists the above hormonal contraceptives as having three mechanisms of action: 1) Prevent ovulation, 2) Thicken the cervical mucous to prevent sperm from entering the uterus and fallopian tube, and 3) Alter the lining of the uterus so implantation cannot take place. The third action, if and when it occurs, is abortifacient (meaning a human life has begun but cannot continue to develop without the nourishment provided through the mother’s uterine wall). Although pro-life physicians continue to debate if and how often hormonal contraceptives interfere with the implantation of an embryo, it is important to educate ourselves and our clients about this potential action of the Pill. Those who seek to protect the sanctity of human life from the point of fertilization should be cautious about taking any drug which could end the developing child’s life.

For further research, download or purchase the helpful booklet Does the Birth Control Pill Cause Abortions?

Norplant
This implant is placed under the skin of the arm for up to a 5 year period. The progesterone hormone’s effect is to suppress ovulation, but after 2 years, there is a greater chance of break-through ovulation and fertilization. The hormone may prevent implantation of the embryo.

Depo-Provera
This Progesterone (hormone) derivative is injected every 3 months to prevent a woman from ovulating, but it also alters the uterine lining. Break-through ovulation and fertilization may occur, though less frequently than with Norplant. The hormone may prevent implantation of the embryo.

Morning after pill
Large doses of existing birth control pills (or another drug levonorgestrel, known as Plan B) are given up to 72 hours after intercourse to attempt to prevent the implantation of the embryo. A second dose is given 12 hours after the first one. The action of these large doses of hormones birth control pills work to prevent ovulation and/or fertilization.

RU-486
When a woman is given RU-486 (also called Mifepristone), it kills her baby by interfering with progesterone, the hormone which keeps the baby implanted in the wall of the mother’s uterus. Two days later, the woman returns to the clinic to receive a prostaglandin drug which induces labor and expels the dead embryo (RU-486 is used until 7 weeks after the first day of her last menstrual period). If the baby hasn’t been expelled by the time the woman makes her third visit to the doctor, she will require a surgical abortion procedure (5-8% likelihood). Raymond, Klein & Dumble, the pro-abortion authors of RU486 Misconceptions, Myths and Morals, (IWT Pub, 1991) stress that RU-486 is not safe for women and list the following contraindications (reasons a person should not take RU-486): under age 18 or over 35; menstrual irregularities; history of fibroids, abnormal menstrual bleeding or endometriosis cervical incompetence, previous abortion, or abnormal pregnancies; pelvic inflammatory disease; recent use of IUD or the pill 3 months.

Methotrexate & Misoprostol
Two drugs that were developed for cancer (methotrexate) and ulcer (misoprostol) treatment are now being used in combination to kill babies. Methotrexate is used to poison the baby and then Misoprostol empties the uterus of the baby. Keep in mind that Methotrexate is a chemotherapy drug with the potential for serious toxicity, which can result in the death of the mother as well as the baby. (Methotrexate & Misoprostol to Terminate Early Pregnancy, R. Hausknecht, New England Journal of Medicine, Vol.333, No. 9, 8/31/95, Pg. 537 and “Methotrexate & Misoprostol,” M. Creinin et al., JAMA, Oct. 19, 1994 and Physicians Desk Reference)

from:
http://www.abortionno.org/Resources/fastfacts.html

Jeff said...

"Could that story's foundation be true?

"In most of the United States, 24 abortions are carried out for every 100 live births. In New York, 72 abortions occur for every 100 live births."

72 abortions for every 100 live births????

At what point does making common use of a surgical procedure to end an unwanted pregnancy and, ultimately, as a common form of contraception, start to negatively affect NYC's culture as a whole?

"...an average of 250 abortions a day...???"

The report being cited was written by the Alan Guttmacher Institute, which is claimed to be a Planned Parenthood related organization. This leads me to believe the statistics are accurate - or certainly not slanted for a "conservative" purpose.

This issue is one that suits the present GOP base and the State GOP should be looking to make this an issue in the years to come if these trends don't subside.

Regardless of it's political applications, the fact that 7 abortions take place for every 10 live births in NYC makes even a pro-choice Republican like myself sick and should be a call to action for many community leaders in NYC. If this trend continues, the GOP may be able to turn around an issue that has not worked in it's favor in NY for decades..."

from:
http://www.urbanelephants.com/index.php/thetrunk/42-opinion/81-abortion-rates-in-ny-shocking.html

Dr. Russell Norman Murray said...

Those are useful stats. 'Just after sunrise' in my links deals with this subject. He is also from Florida.

Anonymous said...

If you want to understand what’s happening on the political front when it comes to abortion, check out the new documentary, Unplanned Democracy: America’s First Vote on Abortion.

http://www.unplanneddemocracy.com

The film, done by a South Dakota journalist, does not take sides on the issue. Instead, it delves into the most active front in work to overturn Roe v. Wade and how others are working to stop that effort.

Jeff said...

SoDak,

Thank you for dropping by and leaving a comment, and thank you for that link. I went to the link and read a couple pages, plus watched the Trailer video. I also left a comment there, in the blog section.

Jeff said...

Those are useful stats. 'Just after sunrise' in my links deals with this subject. He is also from Florida.

Thanks, Russ. I'll check it out.

Jeff said...

Russ,

I saw his article and left a comment, and I even told him about the website that SoDak pointed me to.

Anonymous said...

Very good information. Thanks for posting.

How sobering.

Jeff said...

Thanks, Stan, for dropping by and leaving a comment! Very much appreciated!