WP: Abortion: Just the Data (numbers down)

[DeepModem Mom]

Abortion: Just the Data
With High-Court Debate Brewing, New Report Shows Procedure's Numbers Down

By Naseem Sowti
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, July 19, 2005; Page HE01


A new analysis of the most recent abortion data shows that the number of U.S. women having the procedure is continuing its decade-long drop and stands at its lowest level since 1976.

In the year 2002, about 1.29 million women in the U.S. had abortions. In 1990, that number was 1.61 million.

The data, collected by the Alan Guttmacher Institute, a nonprofit group that collects information from abortion providers and public sources, show that for every 1,000 pregnancies that did not result in miscarriage in 2002, there were 242 abortions. This figure was 245 in 2000 and 280 in 1990. The institute's mission is to protect reproductive choice, but its reports are considered accurate across the political spectrum.

With President Bush preparing to nominate at least one new Supreme Court justice whose presence on the high court could produce new rulings on abortion, the data are already being interpreted differently by abortion rights advocates and antiabortion activists. But scientists say it is difficult to determine why the number of abortions has been dropping.

"There are so many things feeding into" the decline, said Lawrence Finer, associate director of domestic research at Guttmacher. Possible factors, he said, include changes in contraceptive technologies and use, changing ideas about family size and abortion, and reduced access to abortion services. Pregnancy clinics and abstinence programs may also have contributed to the declines, he said....

(NOTE: The article goes on to give data on "Who Gets Abortions." )


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/18/AR2005071801164.html

[rocktivity]

1. Duh--maybe it's dropping because women are doing a better job

of not getting pregnant to begin with.

Whether that's the result of more contraception, less sex, or more women deciding to complete their unplanned pregnancies, it certainly doesn't translate into a rejection of abortion across the board.

:headbang:
rocknation

[daleo]

2. So, the abortion rate fell by 1.25% per year in the 1990's

Which was mostly Clinton's administration, and 0.1% per year in the 2000-2002 period, under Bush. As usual, the facts suggest that liberalism just works better than conservatism.