Problem Definition Paper 1

Secondary Data Tables

Excercise #2

Problem Definition Paper-Secondary Data Tables

Brittney V. Smith

SOWK 300-01

Tuskegee University

January 28,2010
 Problem Definition Paper 2
Problem Definition Paper - Secondary Data Tables
1. Problem Identification. State the general problem topic.

The general problem is on teen pregnancies and how they are turning to abortions to fix
their problems, and how statistics shows the rising rate through the years, ages and races.

2. Problem Description. Write an expansive paragraph or two that describe the problem topic.

a. How does the problem affect the survival and propagation of African Americans?
(Refer+3to the Quantitative Problem-Solving Model in the Appendix)
b. Do you have any ideas about what can be done or what changes are need to alleviate the
problem?

a. The problem that affects African American is very intense, it’s states here that non-
Hispanic black teens have a way bigger abortion rate than the non- Hispanic white’s. It been
affected in many different ways. By abortion rates and the involving factory being that, it
decreases the survival rate. The abortion rates starts to drift high when the ages increases at 18-
19. Through each graph statistics show that from 1995-2000 it decreases in all ages but the
doesn’t change the fact of abortions that are still being made still comes out to be a problem.

b. In order to stop what’s being done new changes, new laws and also practice safe sex is the
first thing to do. Teen pregnancies are starting up at a younger age. Each year from race to ages
the numbers still show that it’s a rising problem. Some states have set laws to where its against
the laws is certain states to have abortions. Kids would have to find different means in taking
different actions, but that still doesn’t stop what can happen or what is happening to kids now.
We are not taking the proper action in doing what they could to prevent it from happening or at
least in trying to decrease the numbers when there are many reasons behind kids having
abortions.

3. Findings. Describe the data tables you located with references to the following quantitative
aspect. You must locate at least one data table for each of the four aspects
(i.e. there is a minimum of four data tables.) The data tables must be in PDF file, as explained in
the next chapter.

Each data table explains something different in each one. For example, my first chart is
Abortion rates on abortions per 1,000 females that’s by age, race and Hispanic Origin in years.
Each graphs goes together but has at least more information than the other. My second one was
on abortions characteristics start with ages and 15 and end with the ages over 40, also with the
race and ethnicity of their background. Graph three and four starts in the years of 1976 but each
 Problem Definition Paper 3
graphs ends in 2000. Comparing and contrast but also looking at each rate by each year the
number just seem to increase.

ii) magnitude:
i) How large or severe is the problem?

The problem is very sever, its more like a never ending problem with many solution but the only
solution is abortion in young kids mind. As the years go by they are adding numbers to the teen
pregnancy and kids that are having their babies but still doesn’t see the change.The facts of those
who are having an abortion. The problem is world wide different states, the abortion rates is the
number of abortions per 1,000 that are childbearing age each year in the United states.

ii) How many people does it affect?

Its shows more than one-third of teens pregnancies in the United States end in abortions. If more
teens can make it through there term it can decline a little in number of high rate pregnancies.
This affect people all over, the younger teens abortion rates are lower than the older teens.

iii) What are the costs of the problem expressed in terms of money.
Morbidity, or mortality? Data on magnitude are usually Univariate and sometimes
consist of rank order list.

When terms of money dealing with abortions is plenty different way. Some may look at it to use
there insurance but what people don’t know if you don’t have insurance you means of paying
could be through Medicare. Also kids gets by, by going to a clinic called planned parenthood to
where kids at the age of 16 are able to walk in there and get an abortion that remain as
confidentiality and their parents would never find out. Its as easy as going in paying for it on
applying for Medicare. If you make it that east for children to do that what makes society think
kids will stop anytime soon.

B. Scope:
i) How wide spread is the problem?

The problem is world wide, it’s a problem that no matter how hard you try at it won’t get fix.
Over all the 50 states at leas 23 states has passed the “right to know” legislation that has put
more impact on the issue and right after at it has grown to 28 states. Just like the problem has
spread world wide in order to fix it, you start by practice safe and be cautious and that will
eventually spread through out the world.

ii) What percentages of selected populations are affected? ( e.g. the nations, states, regions, etc.)
These data are usually expressed as rates or ratios.
 Problem Definition 4
Over 1.2 million abortions nationwide in the year of 2005 was a 8% drop from the last time
they did a survey in 2000. The data is all through 50 states and also 52 health agencies. Planned
parent hood was one that is highly on the chart due to kids that are able to go into that clinic
without a problem. These data’s came from two independent sources but all came from states to
states in different amount periods.

C. Changes: How has the problem varied or changed over time?

The problem is varied over time by having certain changes and laws that lead some states in
a legislation where around the world people are now starting to take teen pregnancies more
serious and trying to help prevent abortions. They feel if the can try to put out there different
resources or different acts it can help people to cope with the problem and also try to help to
reduce the problem just as much.

D. Disparities: Are there differences in the problem in terms of race, sex, age, SES, sexual
orientation, or disability.?

The only difference between the race, sex and ages is that the graphs deals with all three of
those. Through the years starting early all the way up to 2006. You see that there only minor
changes like in the race and ages but nothing that is a dramatic change.

4. Data tables. Include copies of the data tables retrieved from the internet. (Converted to a
single PDF file)
Figure 1
Abortion Rates (abortions per 1,000 females) for Females Under Age
20, by Age, 1976-2000
15-19 Years-old Under Age 15* 15-17 Years-old 18-19 Years-old
70.0
62.0
60.0
Abortions per 1,000 Females

50.0
49.3 43.5

40.0
37.7
34.3 30.6
30.0
24.0
24.2
20.0
14.5
10.0
1.6 2.0
0.9
0.0
1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005
*Rates computed by relating the number of events to women under age 15 years to women aged 10-14 years.
Source: Data for 1976-1989: Ventura SJ, Mosher WD, Curtin SC, Abma JC, Henshaw S. "Trends in Pregnancies and
Pregnancy Rates by Outcome: Estimates for the United States, 1976-1996." Table 3. National Center for Health Statistics.
Vital Health Stat 21 (56). 2000. Data for 1990-2000: Ventura SJ, Abma JC, Mosher WD, Henshaw S. Estimated Pregnancy
Rates for the United States, 1990-2000: An update. National vital statistics reports; vol 52 no 23. Hyattsville, Maryland:
National Center for Health Statistics. 2004. Table 1. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr52/nvsr52_23.pdf
Figure 2
Abortion Rates (abortions per 1,000 females) for Females Ages 15-19
by Race and Hispanic Origin, 1976-2000
90
83.5
80
Black, non-Hispanic
70
Abortions per 1,000 Females

60
57.4
50
Total 41.6
Hispanic
40
39.1
34.3 32.5 30.3
30
24.0
20
White, non-Hispanic 14.8
10

0
1973 1976 1979 1982 1985 1988 1991 1994 1997 2000 2003

Source: Data for 1976-1989: Ventura SJ, Mosher WD, Curtin SC, Abma JC, Henshaw S. "Trends in Pregnancies and Pregnancy Rates
by Outcome: Estimates for the United States, 1976-1996." Table 3. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 21(56).
2000. Data for 1990-2000: Ventura SJ, Abma JC, Mosher WD, Henshaw S. Estimated Pregnancy Rates for the United States, 1990-
2000: An update. National vital statistics reports; vol 52 no 23. Hyattsville, Maryland: National Center for Health Statistics. 2004. Table
1. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr52/nvsr52_23.pdf
Table 1

Abortion Rates (abortions per 1,000 females) for Female Adolescents by Age, Race, and Hispanic Origin, Selected Years,
1976-2000
1976 1980 1985 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
15-19 Years-old 34.3 42.7 43.5 40.3 37.4 35.2 33.9 31.6 29.4 28.6 27.1 25.8 24.7 24.0
Race/Ethnicity
White, non-Hispanic - - - 32.5 28.7 25.3 24.0 21.8 20.5 19.3 18.6 16.9 15.5 14.8
Black, non-Hispanic - - - 83.5 80.0 78.6 76.9 71.2 64.6 64.1 61.3 58.6 58.1 57.4
Hispanic1 - - - 39.1 39.6 41.6 39.7 39.0 35.8 35.7 32.7 33.7 32.1 30.3
2
Under 15 Years-old 1.6 1.7 2.0 1.5 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.3 1.2 1.1 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9

Race/Ethnicity
White, non-Hispanic - - - 0.8 0.7 0.7 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.3
Black, non-Hispanic - - - 5.4 5.1 5.1 4.8 4.6 3.9 3.8 3.2 3.2 3.0 2.9
Hispanic1 - - - 1.1 1.4 1.5 1.4 1.4 1.2 1.2 1.1 1.1 1.0 1.0
15-17 Years-old 24.2 30.1 30.6 26.5 24.2 22.9 22.2 21.0 19.5 18.6 17.2 16.4 15.2 14.5
Race/Ethnicity
White, non-Hispanic - - - 21.1 18.3 16.0 15.4 14.1 13.4 12.6 11.8 10.7 9.4 8.5
Black, non-Hispanic - - - 57.7 54.5 53.5 52.6 49.1 44.6 42.4 39.5 38.0 36.7 37.3
Hispanic1 - - - 24.3 24.2 26.8 25.5 26.1 23.5 22.9 20.3 21.5 20.2 18.4
18-19 Years-old 49.3 60.6 62.0 57.9 55.7 53.3 51.3 47.9 44.8 44.0 42.6 39.9 38.6 37.7
Race/Ethnicity
White, non-Hispanic - - - 46.8 43.0 38.9 36.9 33.7 31.6 29.8 29.1 26.3 24.6 24.1
Black, non-Hispanic - - - 117.4 115.0 115.2 113.5 105.8 96.0 97.9 95.0 89.0 89.4 86.8
Hispanic1 - - - 59.5 61.7 63.3 60.7 58.0 54.0 54.9 51.4 51.6 49.1 47.3
1
Includes all persons of Hispanic origin of any race.
2
Rates computed by relating the number of events to women under age 15 years to women aged 10-14 years

Source: Data for 1976-1989: Ventura SJ, Mosher WD, Curtin SC, Abma JC, Henshaw S. Trends in pregnancies and pregnancy
rates by outcome: Estimates for the United States, 1976-1996. Table 3. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat
21(56). 2000. Data for 1990-2000: Ventura SJ, Abma JC, Mosher WD, Henshaw S. Estimated Pregnancy Rates for the United
States, 1990-2000: An update. National vital statistics reports; vol 52 no 23. Hyattsville, Maryland: National Center for Health
Statistics. 2004. Table 1. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr52/nvsr52_23.pdf
Table 98. Abortions by Selected Characteristics: 1990 to 2004
[1,609 represents 1,609,000. Number of abortions from surveys conducted by source; characteristics from the U.S. Centers for
Disease Control’s (CDC) annual abortion surveillance summaries, with adjustments for changes in states reporting data to the CDC
each year]

Abortion rate
1
Characteristic Number (1,000) Percent distribution per 1,000 women
1990 2000 2004 1990 2000 2004 1990 2000 2004
Total abortions . . . . . . . . 1,609 1,313 1,222 100 100 100 27.4 21.3 19.7

Age of woman:
Less than 15 years old 1 . . . . . . 13 9 7 0.8 0.7 0.6 7.9 4.4 3.3
15 to 19 years old . . . . . . . . . . 351 235 200 21.8 17.9 16.3 40.6 24.0 19.8
20 to 24 years old . . . . . . . . . . 532 430 406 33.1 32.7 33.2 56.7 45.9 39.9
25 to 29 years old . . . . . . . . . . 360 303 285 22.4 23.0 23.3 34.0 31.8 29.7
30 to 34 years old . . . . . . . . . . 216 190 184 13.4 14.5 15.1 19.7 18.6 18.2
35 to 39 years old . . . . . . . . . . 108 110 103 6.7 8.4 8.4 10.7 9.7 9.8
40 years old and over 2. . . . . . . 29 37 38 1.8 2.8 3.1 3.2 3.2 3.3
Race and ethnicity of woman:
White. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,039 733 674 64.6 55.8 55.1 21.5 15.0 13.8
Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 505 488 453 31.4 37.2 37.1 63.9 54.8 49.7
Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 92 95 4.0 7.0 7.8 25.1 24.4 22.9
Hispanic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195 261 269 12.1 19.8 22.0 35.1 30.3 27.8
Non-Hispanic White . . . . . . . . . 852 479 418 52.9 36.5 34.2 19.7 11.7 10.5
Marital status of woman: 3
Married . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341 246 212 21 19 17.3 10.6 7.9 7.0
Unmarried . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,268 1,067 1,011 79 81 82.7 47.7 34.9 31.7
Number of prior live births:
None . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 780 533 494 49 41 40 32.0 20.2 17.8
One. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 396 361 336 25 28 28 36.9 32.5 31.5
Two . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280 260 237 17 20 19 20.5 18.9 17.5
Three . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 104 100 6 8 8 15.6 14.8 14.9
Four or more. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 56 54 3 4 4 14.7 16.5 16.1
Number of prior induced abortions:
None . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 891 699 652 55 53 53 (NA) (NA) (NA)
One. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 443 355 327 28 27 27 (NA) (NA) (NA)
Two or more . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275 259 243 17 20 20 (NA) (NA) (NA)
Weeks of gestation:
Less than 9 weeks . . . . . . . . . . 825 749 750 51.3 57.1 61.3 (NA) (NA) (NA)
9 to 10 weeks . . . . . . . . . . . . . 416 269 217 25.8 20.5 17.8 (NA) (NA) (NA)
11 to 12 weeks . . . . . . . . . . . . 195 138 117 12.1 10.5 9.6 (NA) (NA) (NA)
13 weeks or more . . . . . . . . . . 173 156 138 10.8 11.9 11.3 (NA) (NA) (NA)
NA Not available. 1 Denominator of rate is women aged 14. 2 Denominator of rate is women aged 40−44. 3 Separated
women are included with married.
Source: R.K. Jones, M.R.S. Zolna, S.K. Henshaw, and L.B. Finer, ‘‘Abortion in the United States: Incidence and Access to
Services, 2005,’’ Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 2008, 40(1):6−16; and unpublished data from Guttmacher
Institute (copyright).

Table 99. Abortions—Number and Rate by State: 2000 to 2005

[Number of abortions by state of occurrence from surveys of hospitals, clinics, and physicians identified as providers of abortion
services conducted by the Guttmacher Institute. Abortion rates are computed per 1,000 women 15 to 44 years of age on July 1
of specified year]
1 1
Number Rate Number Rate
State State
2000 2004 2005 2000 2004 2005 2000 2004 2005 2000 2004 2005
U.S. . 1,312,990 1,222,100 1,206,200 21.3 19.7 19.4 MO . . . . 7,920 8,740 8,400 6.6 7.2 6.9
AL . . . . 13,830 11,400 11,340 14.2 12.0 11.9 MT . . . . 2,510 2,370 2,150 13.5 12.9 11.7
AK . . . . 1,660 1,920 1,880 11.7 13.8 13.6 NE . . . . 4,250 3,710 3,220 11.6 10.2 8.9
AZ . . . . 17,940 17,930 19,480 16.5 15.2 16.0 NV . . . . 13,740 13,210 13,530 32.4 27.2 27.0
AR . . . . 5,540 4,620 4,710 9.8 8.2 8.3 NH . . . . 3,010 3,160 3,170 11.2 11.6 11.7
CA . . . . 236,060 208,180 208,430 31.2 26.9 27.1 NJ . . . . 65,780 58,050 61,150 36.3 32.3 34.3
CO . . . . 15,530 15,550 16,120 16.0 15.6 16.1 NM . . . . 5,760 6,260 6,220 14.7 15.8 15.7
CT . . . . 15,240 16,810 16,780 21.1 23.5 23.6 NY . . . . 164,630 160,140 155,960 39.1 38.9 38.2
DE . . . . 5,440 4,990 5,150 31.3 28.0 28.8 NC . . . . 37,610 36,220 34,500 21.1 20.0 18.8
DC . . . . 9,800 7,130 7,230 68.2 52.3 54.2 ND . . . . 1,340 1,360 1,230 9.9 10.5 9.6
FL . . . . 103,050 96,680 92,300 32.0 28.4 26.8 OH . . . . 40,230 35,050 35,060 16.5 14.8 14.9
GA . . . . 32,140 34,100 33,180 16.9 17.2 16.3 OK . . . . 7,390 7,140 6,950 10.1 9.8 9.5
HI. . . . . 5,630 5,190 5,350 22.2 21.0 21.8 OR . . . . 17,010 13,320 13,200 23.6 18.0 17.7
ID. . . . . 1,950 2,000 1,810 7.0 6.9 6.1 PA . . . . 36,570 35,760 34,150 14.3 14.3 13.8
IL . . . . . 63,690 52,870 50,970 23.2 19.5 18.9 RI. . . . . 5,600 5,730 5,290 24.1 24.7 23.2
IN. . . . . 12,490 11,010 11,150 9.4 8.5 8.6 SC . . . . 8,210 6,650 7,080 9.3 7.5 7.9
IA . . . . . 5,970 6,160 6,370 9.8 10.2 10.6 SD . . . . 870 820 790 5.5 5.2 5.1
KS . . . . 12,270 11,330 10,410 21.4 19.9 18.4 TN . . . . 19,010 18,490 18,140 15.2 14.7 14.4
KY . . . . 4,700 3,670 3,870 5.3 4.2 4.4 TX . . . . 89,160 85,210 85,760 18.8 17.3 17.3
LA . . . . 13,100 12,760 11,400 13.0 13.0 11.7 UT . . . . 3,510 3,610 3,630 6.7 6.6 6.4
ME . . . . 2,650 2,910 2,770 9.9 10.9 10.5 VT . . . . 1,660 1,720 1,490 12.7 13.6 11.7
MD . . . . 34,560 38,020 37,590 29.0 31.7 31.5 VA . . . . 28,780 26,340 26,520 18.1 16.5 16.5
MA . . . . 30,410 26,330 27,270 21.4 18.9 19.9 WA . . . . 26,200 24,060 23,260 20.3 18.2 17.5
MI . . . . 46,470 43,590 40,600 21.6 20.6 19.4 WV . . . . 2,540 2,420 2,360 6.8 6.8 6.7
MN . . . . 14,610 13,980 13,910 13.5 12.8 12.7 WI . . . . 11,130 9,870 9,800 9.6 8.5 8.5
MS . . . . 3,780 3,500 3,090 6.0 5.6 4.9 WY . . . . 100 80 70 1.0 0.8 0.7
1
Rate per 1,000 women, 15 to 44 years old.
Source: R.K. Jones et al., ‘‘Abortion in the United States: Incidence and Access to Services, 2005,’’ Perspectives on Sexual
and Reproductive Health, 2008, 40(1):6−16; and unpublished data from Guttmacher Institute (copyright).

Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Divorces 73

U.S. Census Bureau, Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2009
Reported Annual Abortions ABORTION
1973 - 2005
statistics
United States Data and Trends

Downward Trend Continues

After reaching a high of over 1.6 million in 1990, the
number of abortions annually performed in the U.S. has dropped
back to levels not seen since the late 1970s.
Two independent sources confirm this decline: the
government’s Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the
Guttmacher Institute (GI), which was once a special research
affiliate of abortion chain Planned Parenthood.
The CDC ordinarily develops its annual report on the basis
of data received from 52 central health agencies (50 states plus
New York City and the District of Columbia). GI gets its
numbers from direct surveys of abortionists.
Because of these different methods of data collection, GI has
GI CDC
consistently obtained higher counts than the CDC. CDC
1973 744,600 615,831 researchers have admitted it probably undercounts the total number
1974 898,600 763,476 of abortions because reporting laws vary from state to state and
1975 1,034,200 854,853 some abortionists probably do not report or under-report the
1976 1,179,300 988,267 abortions they perform. Nevertheless, because increases and
1977 1,316,700 1,079,430 decreases in CDC and GI numbers have until recently roughly
1978 1,409,600 1,157,776 tracked each other, both sources are thought to provide useful
1979 1,497,700 1,251,921 information on abortion trends and statistics. The CDC stopped
1980 1,553,900 1,297,606 reporting estimates for some states in 1998, making the
1981 1,577,300 1,300,760 discrepancy larger.
1982 1,573,900 1,303,980 Abortions from CA and NH have not been counted by the
1983 1,575,000 1,268,987 CDC since 1998, and other states have been missing from the
1984 1,577,200 1,333,521 totals during that time frame: OK in 1998, AK from 1998 to
1985 1,588,600 1,328,570 2002, WV in 2003 and 2004, LA in 2005. For areas that did
1986 1,574,000 1,328,112 report, additional declines were seen in every year except 2002,
1987 1,559,100 1,353,671 when there was a slight increase. CDC figures show a continued
1988 1,590,800 1,371,285 drop from 2003 forward.
1989 1,566,900 1,396,658 GI’s latest survey confirms a continued downward trend,
1990 1,608,600 1,429,247 showing just over 1.2 million abortions nationwide for 2005, a
1991 1,556,500 1,388,937 drop of 8% from its last full comprehensive survey in 2000. This
1992 1,528,900 1,359,146 is the lowest number reported by Guttmacher since 1976.
1993 1,495,000 1,330,414 Using GI figures through 2005, estimating 1,206,200
1994 1,423,000 1,267,415 abortions for 2006-2008, and factoring in the possible 3%
1995 1,359,400 1,210,883 undercount GI estimates for its own figures, the total number of
1996 1,360,160 1,225,937 abortions performed in the U.S. since 1973 equals 50,766,279.
1997 1,335,000 1,186,039
1998 1,319,000 884,273*
1999
2000
1,314,800
1,312,990
861,789*
857,475*
The Consequences of Roe v. Wade
2001 1,291,000 853,485*
2002
2003
2004
1,269,000
1,250,000
1,222,100
854,122*
848,163*
839,226*
50,766,279
2005
2006-08
1,206,200
1,206,200 §
820,151*
Total abortions since 1973
Based on num bers reported by the G uttm acher Institute 1973-2005,
with estim ates of 1,206,200 for 2006-2008. G I estim ates a possible 3% under
§ NRLC base figure reporting rate, which is factored into the total. 7/09
*excludes NH, CA, and at least one other state

Factors Involved in Abortion Decline
One thing CDC figures show is that the
drop in annual abortions is not simply due to a
drop in the overall population of women of
childbearing age in the U.S. As the baby boom
generation ages and is replaced by the more
sparsely populated “Generation X” (the 40
million or so born between 1962 and 1978 who
grew up with abortion on demand and whose
ranks took the first big hit from Roe v. Wade),
the numbers of abortions would be expected to
decline even if the overall per-centage of
pregnant women remained the same.
But a decline not only in the raw numbers
of abortions, but also the rate and ratio of
abortions, is a clear indication that something
more than mere population shifts are involved.
The abortion rate refers to the number of
abortions per 1,000 women of childbearing age
in the U.S. each year. For 1997, the last year
there was CDC data for all 50 states, there
were 20 abortions per 1,000 women ages 15-
44, five less per thousand than in 1980, when
the highest rate was recorded. CDC data from
2004 yielded an abortion rate of 16, though this
excluded California, New Hampshire, and West
Virginia. For nearly 15 years (1978-1992), the
abortion rate stayed around 23 or 24 per 1,000,
so the drop back to the 1976 level is significant.
Recent figures are an indication that, in the last
few years, abortion has become a less
common feature in the lives of women who
could have gotten pregnant.
With a lowered rate alone, however, the
argument could still be made that this drop was
simply due to an overall decline in the number
Data Sources: CDC information for2004 statistics drawn from special supplement “Abortion Surveillance – United States, 2004," Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Vol. 56, No. SS09 (November
23, 2007) and earlier reports. Explanation of CDC undercount in Frye, et al, “Induced Abortion in the United States: A 1994 Update,” Journal of the American Women’s Medical Association, Vol. 49, No.
5 (September/October 1994), p. 131. AGI figures through 2000 from Henshaw, et al, “Abortion Incidence and Services in the United States in 2000,” Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health,
Vol. 35, No. 1 (Jan/Feb 2003), pp 6ff. 2001-03 figures from AGI Report, “Estimates of U.S. Abortion Incidence, 2001-2003,” 08/03/06. NRL ETF Estimates used for 2004-2007 figures.
A Closer Look:
of pregnancies, because of increased
contraceptive use or a shift in the concentration
of the fertile female population within the age
bracket from younger to older less fertile
women. Of those women who became
pregnant, it would still be mathematically
possible that the same percentage, or an even
a higher percentage, had abortions as in
previous years. That the abortion ratio, and not
just the abortion rate, declined, indicates this
was not the case.
The abortion ratio tells how many abortions
there are for every 1,000 live births. Because
this figure does not include miscarriages and
stillbirths, it cannot give a strict percentage of
those pregnancies ending in abortion. But it
does give us some indication of abortion’s
prevalence among pregnant women.
According to the CDC, there were 306
abortions for every 1,000 live births in 1997.
The ratio was even lower in the latest CDC
report, at 238 per thousand births for 2004, but
this excluded data from three states. Both
figures are substantially lower than the average
of 354 per 1,000 that held throughout the
1980's. Again, one has to go back to 1976 to
find a lower yearly abortion ratio. What this
means, if miscarriage and stillbirth rates
remained stable, is that a substantially lower
proportion of pregnant women are now
choosing to abort their babies than was the
case a few years ago.
Though some states stopped reporting
abortions to the CDC after 1997, declines in
abortion rates and ratios were still seen in areas
that continued to report after that date.
What accounts for this decline? Various
reports have cited increased contraceptive use,
“decreased access” to abortion services, or
“harassment” as possible explanations, but one
plausible factor, cited by the CDC itself, was
“changes in attitudes concerning abortion.”
Pro-life legislation has undoubtedly had an
impact. Since 1989, twenty -three states have
passed “right to know” legislation, making sure
women know not only the risks and realities of
abortion, but also of alternatives that are better
for them and their unborn children.
Twenty-eight states now have substantive
parental involvement laws in place, protecting
teens from adolescent fears and exploitation
from the abortion industry. Waiting periods and
limits on taxpayer funding of abortion have also
probably played significant roles.
Millions of pieces of pro-life educational
literature illustrating fetal development have
been distributed, confirming what more and
more women are seeing for themselves in
sonograms and hearing on fetal heartbeat
stethoscopes -- that abortion stops a beating
heart and ends the lives of children with hands,
feet, and faces.
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