The 'why' behind new abortion stats

Abortion rates in the United States have declined to their lowest levels since 1974, according to a report released today. However, Latina and black women obtain abortions at rates three and five times higher, respectively, than white women -- a reflection of income, according to the authors of the report from the Guttmacher Institute, an organization that conducts research, policy analysis and public education of sexual and reproductive health issues.

A major factor influencing abortion rates, said the authors of the report, is access to affordable contraception and improved contraceptive technology.

"Behind virtually every abortion is an unintended pregnancy. And because women of color are much more likely to experience unintended pregnancies than any other group, they are also more likely to seek and obtain abortions," said Rachel Jones, senior research associate at the Guttmacher Institute. "Previous Guttmacher research has found that unintended pregnancy and abortion rates are also increasing among poor and low-income women."

Nationwide abortion rates have fallen 33% from a peak of 29 abortions per 1,000 women in 1980 to 20 per 1,000 in 2004. Abortions have also declined significantly in teenagers. The authors of the report state that teen abortion rates began falling "long before abstinence-only sex education programs began receiving federal funding" and is attributable to increased use of contraceptives and better contraceptive methods.

The report comes at a time when reproductive healthcare is a topic of debate in Washington. Some educators have attacked the Bush administration's funding of abstinence-only sex education in schools, citing studies that show the approach doesn't work. On another front, reproductive-health experts are battling a proposal that would require any healthcare entity that receives federal financing to certify that none of its employees are required to assist in any medical service they find objectionable. This could mean abortion, emergency contraception, sterilization and contraceptives.

You can access the report at the Guttmacher website.

- Shari Roan

Comments

[RJINCHI]

If you cant trust a woman with a choice, how can you trust her with a child?

[Twitchard]

Maybe it's because Planned Parenthood is, and has been from the beginning, racist?

[lamont cranston]

"Some educators have attacked the Bush administration's funding of abstinence-only sex education in schools, citing studies that show the approach doesn't work."

Just ask Palin's daughter.

(Hey, if she gets to trot them out as props in her charade, then they ARE fair game. If it was so private and personal, get them off the stage. She wants to pimp out her family image for the camera and smear anyone that dares point out that the empress has no clothes.)

[anonymous]

You are overlooking the most important factor in abortion rates. The number of people in the age bracket. I bet if you look at the birth rate in 1960 - 1965 and 1984 - 1989 you will find the second group much lower. There for less 15 - 20 year olds = less abortions.

Come on guys. People need to learn how to do statistical studies. I am tired of this.

[Matthew Advent]

This campaign of lies must stop. The fact is 2/3 of women who have abortions claim they were using contraceptives when they they conceived. The contraceptive mentality, that a child is a bad thing, is the reason women have abortions. Contraceptives cause more abortions.

[jake robertson]

Yeah. . .Guttmacher didn't have a stake in the outcome of this study, did they? And the only possible reason the people who push contraceptives could come up with was (drum roll please): these kids don't have access to contraception!
No possibility of cultural influences that encourage kids--the immature and irresponsible--to have irresponsible sex when they are too immature to be having sex (read: deal with the repurcussions of irresponsible sex) to begin with; nope; has to be the unavailability of contraceptives. . .that are free. . .at most schools. . .

[K. Strange]

This is a no-brainer. If women are given access to contraceptives there will be fewer abortions-- something everyone wants. In the UK, birth control is subsidized by the state and totally free for any woman who wants it.

If pro-lifers are serious, they should petition the government to subsidize the pill.

[Chris Bushey]

It's interesting that the Guttmacher Institute cites economic status and lack of access to health care as the reason why more black and latina women get abortions than do white women. If these "poor black and latina women" can have medicare and state agencies pay for abortions, they also can have those same agencies pay for contraceptives. No, Planned Parenthood and the Guttmacher Institute (a Planned Parenthood related research, data organization) are simply being deceitful as they are lobbying for more federal and state funds so they can increase their profits (record profits of over $900 Million last year).

[Jennie]

I'm sorry, but the Guttmacher Institute is an affiliate of Planned Parenthood, so they clearly have a bias towards promoting contraception.
What isn't mentioned in this article (but in some of the preceding comments) is that the large majority of women who obtain abortions were using contraception the month they became pregnant. Comprehensive sex-ed is important, but obviously contraceptive use isn't stopping abortion any more than abstinence-only education .
You can push either abstinence or contraceptive ed all you want, but people will still get pregnant unintentionally. So if we want to truly make a difference on reducing abortion rates, we have to fix the things that prevent women from carrying their child to term--poverty, healthcare, daycare, adoption structures, etc. I could be wrong, but last time I checked, that wasn't on PP's/Guttmacher's agenda.