Dee Finney's blog
start date  July 20, 2011
July 28, 2012
page 258

TOPIC:  ABORTION

7-28-12   DREAM -  In the dream, my husband woke me up by picking me up bodily from the bed, saying that I had a scissor in my hand and was jabbing at my own stomach trying to abort myself of a baby (something I would NEVER do) He hugged me and begged me never to try that again.

After I was fully awake, another woman who lived with us, who was a good friend said she was nauseas and thought she might be pregnant.  (She looked like the teacher Our Miss Brooks) 

Neither one of us knew if we were really pregnant, and I wondered whether my husband was responsible for her condition as well.

There seemed to be a lot of garbage in our house, mostly newspapers, some of it in good condition, some full of bird seed, some with bird poop, some with dog poop, and some just for reading.   There was so much of it, I needed help getting rid of it.

Our in the yard, a yellow plane was going over, acting like it was taking photographs.  I didn't want my picture taken, so I lay down on the ground and hid my face from the airplane.

A couple minutes later, a young blonde man with a moustache I recognized as a friend of my sons came over and said he was the pilot of the plane which he had landed nearby.  He said he liked to take pictures of people because he always got different reactions - some liked to have their picture taken and posed for him, others ran from view, and others just stared up at him wondering what he was up to. He was amused by people's reactions to him.

Another man came to help me take the garage out of the house, and asked me to turn on the oven to 350 degrees.  Inside the oven was a lot of instructions and numbers, but I couldn't find the knob to set the temperature.  The oxen was going to do what the oven wanted to do until someone helped me figure out how to control it.

The man who was helping me with the garbage, asked me about the man with the airplane and coyly asked me if I was interested in the guy personally, which I wasn't,, and then he intimated that he might be interested in me personally, and suggested that I might fool around with the 'right' guy.   He then disappeared over the edge of a green stairway.

Out in the yard, I saw a male cat stand up on its rear haunches and spit nastily into the air at something, and nearby to the cat crouched a female furry animal I'm not quite sure what it was, and it lovingly nuzzled its one and only baby that it nudged along with a paw to take care of it and keep it away from the cat.

NOTE:  I am not the right person to write about this topic.  My heart is too wrapped up in my own personal experiences and those of other people I've come up with and their experiences some of which are so tragic.

I was an unwanted pregrnancy myself and my parents got married becaue they had to,  But I didn't find that out until I was 25 years old.  It took me over two years to get over that piece of knowledge.  My Mother loved me once she had me - who wouldn't  :-)  My father treated me like I was a child until I was past 35 years old.  He's been gone for many, many years and I still haven't forgiven him for making decisions that affected my life as I was growing up that I've had to compensate for.  But that is another soul lesson for me to deal with.

I have six grown children and many grandchildren, waiting for the day my first great-grandchild arrives on earth.  In my first 20 years of marriage, I lost nine other babies and cried over every one of them.  I miscarried two babies before I successfully delivered by first baby, and I almost lost some of those I managed to carry including the last one who is a miracle baby, having survived a near miscarriage at 3 months of his fetal stage.

I know too how tough it is to raise kids. My own husband worked a full time job, plus two part-time jobs to keep us housed, and we had a huge garden and I spent 20 years learning to grow food, can, freeze, cook, bake, and feed our children.

Sad to say, our kids had to share clothing, I had a closet of clothes I passed down from child to child, including shoes that survived a couple months of wearing before they were outgrown, and we shared clothing with friends and them with us who were in similar financial straits.

I still remember giving up buying bacon in the grocery store when our bill surpassed $100.  Our kids were raised on powdered milk because we couldn't afford bottled milk.  We learned the hard way how to save money and raise our kids. 

I also learned to butcher pigs and chickens during those years.  Pig grease is yummy, believe it or not especially when fried eggs swim in it as they are being fried.  You won't believe I've turn vegetarian in my old age. :-)

I also had an argument with the Catholic church when our first son was ready for 1st grade and the church told us we couldn't put our son into the Catholic school because we didn't give them enough money.

We almost lost our kid's life insurance because we didn't have the money to pay the bill.  My own father refused to loan us the $50 so one of my husband's friends loaned us the money.  We eventually had to let it go anyway because we couldn't afford it. My father didn't loan money to anyone - it was his policy. but he gave $20 to a stranger who came to his door and asked for a handout.  Who can figure out parents?

The Catholic church was part of my spiritual journey, and I stayed a Catholic for 18 years, coming to hate its rules, not only about its personal control over me and my reproductive life - we weren't even allowed to practice birth control and I was always pregnant at some stage.  Once I got pregnant before I even went for my 6 week checkup after giving birth. I lost four babies after my last son was born as well.  By then I was no longer Catholic and went on the pill.  

I had several friends who were Catholic.  One had 9 children and multiple miscarriages.  She  also lost a child right after it was born to crib death.  My Mother-in-law had 12 childreen, my husbands brothers and sisters had 10 children, several 6 children like us, and others fewer.  One of them couldn't have anyy children so they took in foster kids.

I had two other friends who had children who died of crib death.  One was a smoker and one was not.  One of those babies was less than a week old, the other one was 4 months old.  They just stopped breathing.  A third friend also lost a child to crib death.  I didn't know the circumstances of that particular death.

Raising lids is not easy, even when you have healthy children.  I was lucky and had healthy children with perfect teeth, unlike some people who give birth to children with chronic or genetic diseases or get them after they get their set of vaccines.

I'm against vaccines by the way..  But I say that after all my kids got their vaccines. However my kids and I had most diseases naturally.  My youngest son had chicken pox when he was two weeks old because his oldest brother got it at school and passed it along to everyone else.

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&sclient=psy-ab&q=site:greatdreams.com++vaccines&oq=
site:greatdreams.com++vaccines&gs_l=hp.3...22088.22866.1.23471.2.2.0.0.0.0.387.680.2-1j1.2.0...0.0...1c.49Tw3b7j4sA&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=fe6f8da2d
5e72e38&biw=1036&bih=738

I've had al the prescribed vaccines except the flu shots which I won't get.  I did get the Tetanus shots - some shots are valid.  I thought I was going to die from the Shingles shot I got last year - on the way home, it got hard to breathe when I started to have trouble swallowing.    I won't ever get another shot.  Who knows what is in them.

Young girls are dying from the anti-cancer vaccines, plus getting brain damage.

That's another whole topic on its own.

I know people who gave up their kids to be adopted - multiple kids by the way - not just one.

I also know adopted people who have searched for and are searching for their birth parents.  I've watched with tears in my eyes at the TV shows that show successful searches for birth parents. I'd much rather see a person give up a child to someone who can afford to raise and educate it, then have it aborted.

I also know grown people who are still mad at their 'sperm donors' who left their mothers in the lurch and grew up with abusive step-fathers.

All those stories are sad, but people don't realize these are all soul lessons and reasons we are here.

I also know people who had abortions and the guilt they lived with later.

I know more about souls than most people, having heard the teachings of angels on the subject:  See http://www.awakenandbecome.com

Besides that, I am a walkin myself, having been stopped from killing my own body when I could no longer tolerate the life I was living.  See:  http://www.greatdreams.com/walkins.htm

That is something I have not discussed with my own family and didn't share it with my mother before she passed.  My own Father was long deceased when I was going to commit suicide and was prevented from doing it by an angel who spoke with an alien voice and saved the body for another soul aspect to enter and take over.

That is another long topic and because I run a walkin e-mail group I have become acquainted with many other walkins and heard all their individual stories - each of which is different from all the others.  There are no two circumstances alike.

I also know of people who trade consciousnesses with other people on a daily basis depending on circumstances and my best friend's soul is not connected to her body at all, which makes her the best channel in the world, because any other spirit can enter her body and talk through her.  It is not an easy life at all, and she will never be rich because that's not how spirit works.   People who are of service to others do not get rich. That is not why they are here.

BECAUSE OF MY OWN  LIFE EXPERIENCES, I CANNNOT JUDGE WHAT OTHER PEOPLE SHOULD DO WITH THEIR BODIES.  THIS PAGE WILL BE ABOUT STATISTICS.  PEOPLE CAN AND SHOULD MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS AND REALIZE THEY HAVE TO LIVE WITH THE CONSEQUENCES -  THAT IS THEIR OWN SOUL'S JOURNEY.
HERE ARE PREVIOUS PAGES WHERE I MENTIONED ABORTION

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&sclient=psy-ab&q=site:greatdreams.com++ABORTION&oq=site:greatdreams.com++ABORTION&gs_
l=hp.3...9245.11567.3.12865.2.2.0.0.0.0.310.560.2-1j1.2.0...0.0...1c.a2ou-QtMQx8&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=fe6f8da2d5e72e38&biw=1036&bih=738

Data and Statistics

Public health surveillance is the ongoing systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of outcome-specific data for use in public health practice. The public health approach to problem solving includes using surveillance data to identify problems and assess the effectiveness of interventions. Without accurate and timely data, public health programs suffer. This glossary is available of commonly used terms in public health surveillance and epidemiology.

CDC's Division of Reproductive Health (DRH) monitors maternal and infant mortality, the most serious reproductive health complications. In addition, attention is focused on gathering data to better understand the extent of maternal and infant morbidity, adverse behaviors during pregnancy, and long-term consequences of pregnancy.

The major surveillance systems in the division include the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), the National ART Surveillance System (NASS), and the Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System (PMSS). Reports are generated from these systems on a routine ongoing basis. DRH also monitors teen pregnancy and the number and characteristics of women obtaining legal induced abortions in the United States. Point-in-time surveys are conducted to assess reproductive health in developing countries. DRH researchers sometimes analyze secondary data on such topics as ectopic pregnancy and hysterectomy.

Data and Statistics Reference Links

CPONDER
A Web-based analysis system providing state-level prevalence and trend data on maternal and infant health indicators from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS).

Data.govExternal Web Site Icon
Data.gov increases the ability of the public to easily find, download, and use datasets that are generated and held by the Federal Government. Data.gov provides descriptions of the federal datasets (metadata), information about how to access the datasets, and tools that leverage government datasets.

CDC WONDER
Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research—an easy-to-use, menu-driven system that makes the information resources of the CDC available to public health professionals and the public at large.

WISQARS (Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System)
This is an interactive database system that provides customized reports of injury-related data.

BRFSS
By the early 1980s, scientific research clearly showed that personal health behaviors played a major role in premature morbidity and mortality. Although national estimates of health risk behaviors among U.S. adult populations.

YRBSS
The YRBSS was developed in 1990 to monitor priority health risk behaviors that contribute markedly to the leading causes of death, disability, and social problems among youth and adults

PeriStatsExternal Web Site Icon
PeriStats was developed by the March of Dimes Perinatal Data Center, PeriStats provides free access to federal, state, city, and county maternal and infant health data.

Abortion

Abortion Surveillance System FAQ's

Abortion Surveillance—United States, 2008
In 2008, 825,564 legal induced abortions were reported to CDC from 49 reporting areas. This represents essentially no change from the number of abortions reported in 2007. The abortion rate for 2008 was 16.0 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15–44 years. This also is unchanged from 2007. The abortion ratio was 234 abortions per 1,000 live births in 2008. This is a 1% increase from 2007. During 1999–2008, the reported abortion numbers, rates, and ratios decreased 3%, 4%, and 10%, respectively. During 1999–2008, women aged 20–29 years accounted for the majority of abortions. The majority (62.8%) of abortions in 2008 were performed at ≤8 weeks' gestation and 91.4% were performed at ≤13 weeks’ gestation;v14.6% of all abortions were medical abortions. Source: MMWR. 2011;60(No. 15).

Previous MMWR. Abortion Surveillance Reports
2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997 | 1996 | 1995 | 1994–1993 | 1992 | 1991 | 1990 | 1989 | 1988 | 1987–1986 | 1985–1984 | 1981 | 1980–1979

Abortions Distributed by State of Maternal Residence and State of Clinical Service.
Microsoft Excel file [XLS - 68K] | Microsoft Excel file [CSV - 11KB]

Assisted Reproductive Technology

2009 Assisted Reproductive Technology Success Rates: National Summary and Fertility Clinic Reports
The data for this national report comes from the 441 fertility clinics reporting in 2009 that provided and verified data on the outcomes of all ART cycles started at their clinics. The 146,244* ART cycles performed at these reporting clinics in 2009 resulted in 45,870 live births (deliveries of one or more living infants) and 60,190 infants. Data provided by U.S. fertility clinics that use ART to treat infertility is a rich source of information about the factors that contribute to a successful ART treatment—the delivery of a live-born infant.

*Excludes banking cycles and cycles in which a new treatment procedure was being evaluated.

2009 ART Clinic Data:Interactive Clinic Tables | Spreadsheet of Clinic Tables and Data Dictionary Microsoft Excel file [XLS - 871KB] | 2009 ART Report Adobe PDF file [PDF - 12.95MB]

The ART data is also available on data.govExternal Web Site Icon. This provides instant view and download of datasets generated by the Executive Branch of the federal government. Data.gov provides descriptions of the federal datasets (metadata), information about how to access the datasets, and tools that leverage government datasets.

Previous ART Reports

Assisted Reproductive Technology Surveillance Summaries
2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000

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Hysterectomy

NCHS FastStats

Fact sheet: Hysterectomy in the United States, 2000–2004
In the United States, approximately 600,000 hysterectomies are performed each year, and the procedure is the second most frequently performed major surgical procedure among reproductive-aged women.

Infant Health

QuickStats: Percentage of Births That Were Home Births, by Maternal Race/Ethnicity —United States, 1990–2009
Source: MMWR. 2012;61(03):58.

Births: Final Data for 2009 Adobe PDF file [PDF - 1.3 MB]
Comprehensive report on births and maternal health based on 100% of birth certificates reported in all 50 states, DC and U.S. territories.

Preterm Births—United States, 2007
Source: MMWR. 2011;60(01):78–79.

QuickStats: Infant Mortality Rates, by Mother's Place of Birth and Race/Ethnicity—United States, 2007 Source: MMWR. 2011;60(26):891.

Infant Deaths— United States, 2000–2007
Source: MMWR. 2011;60(01);49–51.

NCHS Data Brief: Born a Bit Too Early: Recent Trends in Late Preterm Births
According to this report from CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), the percentage of babies born preterm in the U.S. has increased by more than 20% between 1990 and 2006. Most of this increase was among babies born toward the end of the preterm period, at 34 to 36 full weeks of pregnancy, or during the period known as “late preterm.”

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International Reproductive Health Surveys

Reproductive health surveys collect data on maternal and infant health in developing countries.

Maternal Health and Pregnancy

Pregnancy-related Mortality in the United States
A pregnancy-related death is defined as the death of a woman while pregnant or within one year of pregnancy termination regardless of the duration or site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management, but not from accidental or incidental causes. CDC’s Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System uses data from 52 U.S. reporting areas to identify and describe rates and causes of pregnancy-related death.

Seasonal Influenza and 2009 H1N1 Influenza Vaccination Coverage Among Pregnant Women—10 States, 2009–2010 Influenza Season. Source: MMWR. 2010;59(47):1541–1545.

Receipt of Influenza Vaccine During Pregnancy Among Women With Live Births—Georgia and Rhode Island, 2004–2007 Pregnant women are at increased risk for complications from influenza. Since 2004, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Committee on Obstetric Practice have recommended that all pregnant women be vaccinated with the trivalent inactivated vaccine during any trimester of pregnancy. Source: MMWR. 2009; 58(35):972–975.

Preconception and Interconception Health Status of Women Who Recently Gave Birth to a Live-Born Infant—Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), United States, 26 Reporting Areas, 2004 Source: MMWR. 2007;56(SS10):1–35.

QuickStats: Percentage of All Live Births by Cesarean Delivery—National Vital Statistics System, United States, 2005 Source: MMWR. 2007;56(15):373.3

Highlights of Trends in Pregnancies and Pregnancy Rates by Outcome: Estimates for the United States, 1976–1996 Adobe PDF file [PDF - 348KB]
A report from the National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tracks the effects of changes in sexual activity, marriage patterns, contraceptive use, attitudes and economic and educational opportunities on pregnancies, and pregnancy rates. Source: National Vital Statistics Reports. 2000;47(29):12.

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Teen Pregnancy

QuickStats: Birth Rates for Teens Aged 15–19 Years, by Age Group—National Vital Statistics System, United States, 1960–2010. Source: MMWR. 2012;61(18):330.

Prepregnancy Contraceptive Use Among Teens with Unintended Pregnancies Resulting in Live Births—Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), 2004–2008. Source: MMWR. 2012;61(02):25–29.

QuickStats: Percentage of Teens Aged 15–19 Years Who Had Opposite-Sex Sexual Partners in the Past 12 Months, by Number of Partners—United States, 2006–2010. Source: MMWR. 2011;60(42):1460.

Vital Signs: Teen Pregnancy—United States, 1991–2009
Source: MMWR. 2011;60:1–8.

QuickStats: Birth Rates for Teens Aged 15–19 Years, by State—United States, 2009. Source: MMWR. 2011;60(06):183.

State Disparities in Teenage Birth Rates in the United States
Source: Mathews TJ, Sutton PD, Hamilton BE, Ventura SJ. State Disparities in Teenage Birth Rates in the United States. NCHS data brief, no 46. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics;2010.

QuickStats: Never-Married Females and Males Aged 15–19 Years Who Have Ever Had Sexual Intercourse—National Survey of Family Growth, United States, 1988–2008 Source: MMWR. 2010;59(26):19.

Teen Birth Rates Rose Again in 2007, Declined in 2008.

National Vital Statistics System: Birth Data Source: National Vital Statistics Reports.

Sexual and Reproductive Health of Persons Aged 10–24 Years—United States, 2002–2007 Adobe PDF file [PDF - 1.44MB] Source: MMWR. 2009;58(SS-6).

QuickStats: Birth Rates for Teens Aged 15–19 Years, by Age Group—United States, 1985–2007 Source: MMWR. 2009; 58(12):313.

Teenagers in the United States: Sexual Activity, Contraceptive Use, and Childbearing, 2002. Adobe PDF file [PDF - 710 KB] Series No. 23, Volume 24.

Estimated Pregnancy Rates for the United States, 1990–2005: An Update (10/2009) Adobe PDF file [PDF – 1 MB] Source: National Vital Statistics Report. 2009;58(4).

Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance—United States 2007
Source: MMWR. 2008;57(SS-4):1–131.

Contraceptive use and Pregnancy Risk among US High School Students, 1991–2003External Web Site Icon Source: Guttmacher Institute Perspectives of Sexual and Reproductive Health. 2006;8(2):106–111.

Trends in HIV- and STD-Related Risk Behaviors Among High School Students United States, 1991–2007 Source: MMWR. 57(30).

National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy: State Data External Web Site Icon
National and state information, including data on teens and young adults, trend data, demographic data, and unplanned pregnancy and birth data.

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Tobacco Use and Pregnancy

Trends in Smoking Before, During, and After Pregnancy —Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), United States, 31 Sites, 2000–2005
For 16 sites for which data were available for the entire 6-year study period, the prevalence of smoking before pregnancy remained unchanged, with approximately one of five women (from 22.3% in 2000 to 21.5% in 2005) reporting smoking before pregnancy. The prevalence of smoking during pregnancy declined from 15.2% in 2000 to 13.8% in 2005, and the prevalence of smoking after delivery declined from 18.1% in 2000 to 16.4% in 2005. Source: MMWR. 2009;58(SS04):1–29.

Smoking-Attributable Mortality, Years of Potential Life Lost, and Productivity Losses —United States, 2000–2004.
During 2000–2004, smoking resulted in an estimated annual average of 269,655 deaths among males and 173,940 deaths among females in the United States. Smoking during pregnancy resulted in an estimated 776 infant deaths annually during 2000—2004. Source: MMWR. 2008;57(45):1226–1228.

Smoking Prevalence Among Women of Reproductive Age—United States, 2006.
CDC analyzed state-specific prevalence of smoking and attempts to quit among women of reproductive age, using 2006 data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). Median state prevalence of current smoking was 22.4% (range: 5.8% [U.S. Virgin Islands]—34.7% [Kentucky]). Source: MMWR. 2008;57(31):849–852.

Monitoring Progress Toward Achieving Maternal and Infant Healthy People 2010 Objectives—19 States, Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), 2000–2003
In 2003, all 19 states achieved or exceeded the HP 2010 objective for smoking cessation during pregnancy, and 16 states achieved the HP 2010 objective for abstinence from alcohol during the last 3 months of pregnancy. Source: MMWR. 2006;55(SS09):1–11.

Annual Smoking-Attributable Mortality, Years of Potential Life Lost, and Productivity Losses United States, 1997–2001
Smoking during pregnancy resulted in an estimated 910 infant deaths annually during 1997–2001. Source: MMWR. 2005; 54(25):625–628.

Smoking During Pregnancy—United States, 1990–2002
In 2002, smoking during pregnancy was reported by 11.4% of all women giving birth in the United States, a decrease of 38% from 1990, when 18.4% reported smoking. From 1990 to 2002, all 44 states (and DC) with comparable data for the entire observation period reported significant declines in maternal smoking. Source: MMWR. 2004;53(39):911–915.

State Estimates of Neonatal Health-Care Costs Associated with Maternal Smoking—United States, 1996
This report summarizes the results of an analysis, which estimated smoking-attributable neonatal expenditures (SAEs) of $366 million in the United States in 1996, or $704 per maternal smoker, and indicated wide variations in SAEs among states. These costs are preventable. States can use these data to justify or support their prevention and cessation treatment strategies. Source: MMWR. 2004;53(39):915–917.

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Unintended Pregnancy

Mosher WD, Jones J.Use of Contraception in the United States: 1982–2008. Adobe PDF file [PDF - 1.5 MB] Vital Health Stat. 2010;23(29).

Sexual and Reproductive Health of Persons Aged 10–24 Years—United States, 2002–2007. Adobe PDF file [PDF - 1.45MB] Source: MMWR. 2009;58(SS-6).

Fertility, Family Planning, and Reproductive Health of U.S. Women: Data From the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth. Adobe PDF file [PDF - 4.8MB] National Vital Statistics System. 2005;23(25).

Estimated Pregnancy Rates for the United States, 1990–2005: An Update. (10/2009) Adobe PDF file [PDF – 1 MB] Source: National Vital Statistics Report. 2009;58(4).

Santelli J, Lindberg L, Finer L, Rickert V, Bensyl D, Posner S, et al. Comparability of contraceptive prevalence etimates for women from the 2002 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.External Web Site Icon Public Health Reports. 2008;123(2):147–154.

Ahluwalia IB, Whitehead N, Bensyl D. Pregnancy intention and contraceptive use among adult women.External Web Site Icon Matern Child Health J. 2007;11(4):347–351.

Contraceptive Use—United States and Territories, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2002.
In the United States, approximately half of all pregnancies are unintended. Contraceptive use is an important determinant of such pregnancies. To characterize contraceptive use in the United States and its territories, the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), for the first time, asked both men and women about their birth-control use for the prevention of pregnancy during 2002. Source: MMWR. 2005;54(SS06):1–72.

Surgical Sterilization in the United States: Prevalence and Characteristics, 1965–1995 Adobe PDF file [PDF - 289KB]
This report presents national data on the prevalence of surgical sterilization from 1965 to 1995 among women aged 15–44 years of age. Data are shown by type of sterilizing operation and demographic characteristics of the women. For the 1994 survey data, reasons for the three most common sterilizing operations (tubal ligation, vasectomy, and hysterectomy) are shown, as well as the desire for reversal among those with potentially reversible operations. Source: National Vital and Health Statistics Series. 23/No.20.

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Women's Reproductive Health

Women’s Health USA 2010External Web Site Icon
This data book was developed by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to provide readers with an easy-to-use collection of current and historical data on some of the most pressing health challenges facing women, their families, and their communities. Women’s Health USA 2010 is intended to be a concise reference for policymakers and program managers at the federal, state, and local levels to identify and clarify issues affecting the health of women.

Preconception and Interconception Health Status of Women Who Recently Gave Birth to a Live-Born Infant—Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), United States, 26 Reporting Areas, 2004 Source: MMWR. 2007;56(SS10):1–35.

QuickStats: Annual Rate of Visits to Office-Based Physicians and Hospital Outpatient Departments During Which Combination Estrogen-Progestin Hormone Therapy Was Prescribed for Women Aged >40 years, by Age Group—United States, 2001–2003
Source: MMWR. 2006,55(38):1047.

Women's Health and Mortality Chartbook External Web Site Icon
The Women’s Health and Mortality Chartbook is a statistical resource on women’s health in each of the states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The chartbook was developed to provide readers with an easy-to-use collection of current jurisdiction data on critical issues of relevance to women. A total of 28 different health indicators are featured, which highlight some of the key issues related to women’s health that are being measured regularly at the state level.

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Abortion in the United States

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Abortion in the United States has been legal in every state since the 1973 Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade. Prior to the ruling, the legality of abortion was decided by each state; it was illegal in 30 states and legal under certain cases in 20 states. Roe established that "the right of personal privacy includes the abortion decision, but that this right is not unqualified, and must be considered against important state interests in regulation.".[1]

Roe established a "trimester" system of increasing state interest in the life of the fetus corresponding to its increasing "viability" (likelihood of survival outside the uterus) over the course of a pregnancy, such that states were prohibited from banning abortion early in pregnancy but allowed to impose increasing restrictions or outright bans later in pregnancy. That decision was modified by the 1992 case Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which upheld the "central holding" in Roe that there is a fundamental right to privacy encompassing the decision about abortion, but replacing the trimester system with the point of fetal viability (whenever it may occur) as defining a state's right to override the woman's autonomy. Casey also lowered the legal standard to which states would be held in justifying restrictions imposed on a woman's rights. Roe had held this to be "strict scrutiny" - the traditional Supreme Court test for impositions upon fundamental Constitutional rights - whereas Casey created a new standard referring to "undue burden", specifically to balance the state's and the woman's interests in the case of abortion.

Before Roe v. Wade, abortion was legal in several areas of the country, but that decision imposed a uniform framework for state legislation on the subject, and established a minimal period during which abortion must be legal (under greater or lesser degrees of restriction throughout the pregnancy). That basic framework, modified in Casey, remains nominally in place, although the effective availability of abortion varies significantly from state to state. Abortion remains one of the most controversial topics in United States culture and politics.

 

us abortion laws pre 1973

 

Terminology

In medical terms, the word abortion refers to any pregnancy that does not end in a live birth, and therefore can refer to a miscarriage or a premature birth that does not result in a live infant. Such events are often called spontaneous abortions if they occur before 20 weeks of gestation. In common parlance, however, abortion is used to mean "induced abortion" of an embryo or foetus at any point in pregnancy, and this is also how the term is used in a legal sense.[2]

[edit] History

[edit] Abortion before Roe

There were few laws on abortion in the United States at the time of independence, except the English common law adopted into United States law by Acts of Reception, which held abortion to be legally acceptable if occurring before quickening. James Wilson, a framer of the U.S. Constitution, explained as follows:

With consistency, beautiful and undeviating, human life, from its commencement to its close, is protected by the common law. In the contemplation of law, life begins when the infant is first able to stir in the womb. By the law, life is protected not only from immediate destruction, but from every degree of actual violence, and, in some cases, from every degree of danger.[3]

Various statutes against abortion began to appear in the 1820s. In 1821, Connecticut passed a statute targeting apothecaries who sold poisons to women for purposes of abortion, and New York made post-quickening abortions a felony and pre-quickening abortions a misdemeanor eight years later. It is sometimes argued that the early American abortion statutes were motivated not by ethical concerns about abortion but by worry about the safety of the procedure; however, some legal theorists believe that this theory is inconsistent with the fact that abortion was punishable regardless of whether any harm befell the pregnant woman and the fact that many of the early statutes punished not only the doctors or abortionists, but also punished the women who hired them.[4]

The criminalization movement accelerated during the 1860s, and by 1900 abortion was largely illegal in every state. Some states did include provisions allowing for abortion in limited circumstances, generally to protect the woman's life or pregnancies due to rape or incest. Abortions continued to occur, however, and increasingly became readily available. In the 1930s, licensed physicians performed an estimate 800,000 abortions a year.[5] Illegal abortions were often unsafe, sometimes resulting in death, as in the case of Gerri Santoro of Connecticut in 1964.

Some activist groups developed their own skills to provide abortions to women who could not obtain them elsewhere. As an example, in Chicago, a group known as "Jane" operated a floating abortion clinic throughout much of the 1960s. Women seeking the procedure would call a designated number and be given instructions on how to find "Jane".[6]

In 1965, following the Supreme Court’s decision in Griswold v. Connecticut declaring a constitutional right to contraceptives, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) issued a medical bulletin accepting a recommendation from 6 years earlier which clarified that conception is implantation, not fertilization. This had the consequence of categorizing birth control methods that prevented implantation as contraceptives, not abortifacients.

In 1967, Colorado became the first state to legalize abortion in cases of rape, incest, or in which pregnancy would lead to permanent physical disability of the woman. Similar laws were passed in California, Oregon, and North Carolina. In 1970, New York repealed its 1830 law and allowed abortions up to the 24th week of pregnancy. Similar laws were soon passed in Alaska, Hawaii, and Washington. A law in Washington, DC, which allowed abortion to protect the life or health of the woman, was challenged in the Supreme Court in 1971 in United States v. Vuitch. The court upheld the law, deeming that "health" meant "psychological and physical well-being," essentially allowing abortion in Washington, DC. By the end of 1972, 13 states had a law similar to that of Colorado, while Mississippi allowed abortion in cases of rape or incest only and Alabama and Massachusetts allowed abortions only in cases where the womans's physical health was endangered. In order to obtain abortions during this period, women would often travel from a state where abortion was illegal to states where it was legal.

[edit] Roe v. Wade

In deciding Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court ruled that a Texas statute forbidding abortion except when necessary to save the life of the mother was unconstitutional. The Court arrived at its decision by concluding that the issue of abortion and abortion rights falls under the right to privacy. In its opinion it listed several landmark cases where the court had previously found a right to privacy implied by the Constitution. The Court did not recognize a right to abortion in all cases:

State regulation protective of fetal life after viability thus has both logical and biological justifications. If the State is interested in protecting fetal life after viability, it may go so far as to proscribe abortion during that period, except when it is necessary to preserve the life or health of the mother.[7]

The Court held that a right to privacy existed and included the right to have an abortion. The court found that a mother had a right to abortion until viability, a point to be determined by the abortion doctor. After viability a woman can obtain an abortion for health reasons, which the Court defined broadly to include psychological well-being.

A central issue in the Roe case (and in the wider abortion debate in general) is whether human life or personhood begins at conception, birth, or at some point in between. The Court declined to make an attempt at resolving this issue, noting: "We need not resolve the difficult question of when life begins. When those trained in the respective disciplines of medicine, philosophy, and theology are unable to arrive at any consensus, the judiciary, at this point in the development of man's knowledge, is not in a position to speculate as to the answer." Instead, it chose to point out that historically, under English and American common law and statutes, "the unborn have never been recognized ...as persons in the whole sense" and thus the fetuses are not legally entitled to the protection afforded by the right to life specifically enumerated in the Fourteenth Amendment. So rather than asserting that human life begins at any specific point, the court simply declared that the State has a "compelling interest" in protecting "potential life" at the point of viability.

[edit] Jane Roe and Mary Doe

"Jane Roe" of the landmark Roe v. Wade lawsuit, whose real name is Norma McCorvey, is now a pro-life advocate. McCorvey writes that she never had the abortion and became the "pawn" of two young and ambitious lawyers who were looking for a plaintiff who they could use to challenge the Texas state law prohibiting abortion. However, attorney Linda Coffee says she doesn't remember McCorvey having any hesitancy about wanting an abortion.[8]

"Mary Doe" of the companion Doe v. Bolton lawsuit, the mother of three whose real name is Sandra Cano, maintains that she never wanted or had an abortion and that she is "ninety-nine percent certain that [she] did not sign" the affidavit to initiate the suit.[9][dead link]

[edit] Dubay v. Wells

In 2006, the court case Dubay v. Wells (dubbed by The National Center for Men "Roe v. Wade for men") concerned whether men should have an opportunity to decline all paternity rights and responsibilities in the event of an unplanned pregnancy. Supporters said that this would allow the woman time to make an informed decision and give men the same reproductive rights as women.[10][11] In its dismissal of the case, the U.S. Court of Appeals (Sixth Circuit) stated that "the Fourteenth Amendment does not deny to [the] State the power to treat different classes of persons in different ways." Affirming that men do not have the same reproductive rights that women in U.S.[12]

[edit] Later judicial decisions

In the 1992 case of Planned Parenthood v. Casey, the Court abandoned Roe's strict trimester framework.[13] Instead adopting the standard of undue burden for evaluating state abortion restrictions,[14] but reemphasized the right to abortion as grounded in the general sense of liberty and privacy protected under the constitution: "Constitutional protection of the woman's decision to terminate her pregnancy derives from the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. It declares that no State shall "deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law." The controlling word in the cases before us is "liberty."[15]

The Supreme Court continues to grapple with cases on the subject. On April 18, 2007 it issued a ruling in the case of Gonzales v. Carhart, involving a federal law entitled the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 which President George W. Bush had signed into law. The law banned intact dilation and extraction, which opponents of abortion rights referred to as "partial-birth abortion," and stipulated that anyone breaking the law would get a prison sentence up to 2.5 years. The United States Supreme Court upheld the 2003 ban by a narrow majority of 5-4, marking the first time the Court has allowed a ban on any type of abortion since 1973. The swing vote, which came from moderate justice Anthony Kennedy, was joined by Justices Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas, and the two recent appointees, Samuel Alito and Chief Justice John Roberts.

[edit] Current legal situation

[edit] Nationwide

Since 1995, led by Congressional Republicans, the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate have moved several times to pass measures banning the procedure of intact dilation and extraction, also commonly known as partial birth abortion. After several long and emotional debates on the issue, such measures passed twice by wide margins, but President Bill Clinton vetoed those bills in April 1996 and October 1997 on the grounds that they did not include health exceptions. Congressional supporters of the bill argue that a health exception would render the bill unenforceable, since the Doe v. Bolton decision defined "health" in vague terms, justifying any motive for obtaining an abortion. Subsequent Congressional attempts at overriding the veto were unsuccessful.

On October 2, 2003, with a vote of 281-142, the House again approved a measure banning the procedure, called the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act. Through this legislation, a doctor could face up to two years in prison and face civil lawsuits for performing such an abortion. A woman who undergoes the procedure cannot be prosecuted under the measure. The measure contains an exemption to allow the procedure if the woman's life is threatened. On October 21, 2003, the United States Senate passed the same bill by a vote of 64-34, with a number of Democrats joining in support. The bill was signed by President George W. Bush on November 5, 2003, but a federal judge blocked its enforcement in several states just a few hours after it became public law. The Supreme Court upheld the nationwide ban on the procedure in the case Gonzales v. Carhart on April 18, 2007, signaling a substantial change in the Court's approach to abortion law.[16] The 5-4 ruling said the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act does not conflict with previous Court decisions regarding abortion.

The current judicial interpretation of the U.S. Constitution regarding abortion in the United States, following the Supreme Court of the United States's 1973 landmark decision in Roe v. Wade, and subsequent companion decisions, is that abortion is legal but may be restricted by the states to varying degrees. States have passed laws to restrict late term abortions, require parental notification for minors, and mandate the disclosure of abortion risk information to patients prior to the procedure.[17]

The key, deliberated article of the U.S. Constitution is the Fourteenth Amendment, which states that

All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.[18]

The official report of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, issued in 1983 after extensive hearings on the Human Life Amendment (proposed by Senators Orrin Hatch and Thomas Eagleton), stated what substantially remains true today:

Thus, the [Judiciary] Committee observes that no significant legal barriers of any kind whatsoever exist today in the United States for a mother to obtain an abortion for any reason during any stage of her pregnancy.[19]

One aspect of the legal abortion regime now in place has been determining when the fetus is "viable" outside the womb as a measure of when the "life" of the fetus is its own (and therefore subject to being protected by the state). In the majority opinion delivered by the court in Roe v. Wade, viability was defined as "potentially able to live outside the mother's womb, albeit with artificial aid. Viability is usually placed at about seven months (28 weeks) but may occur earlier, even at 24 weeks." When the court ruled in 1973, the then-current medical technology suggested that viability could occur as early as 24 weeks. Advances over the past three decades have allowed fetuses that are a few weeks less than 24 weeks old to survive outside the mother's womb. These scientific achievements, while life-saving for premature babies, have made the determination of being "viable" somewhat more complicated. As of 2006, the youngest child to survive a premature birth in the United States was a girl born at the Baptist Hospital of Miami at 21 weeks and 6 days' gestational age.[20]

Because of the split between federal and state law, legal access to abortion continues to vary somewhat by state. Geographic availability, however, varies dramatically, with 87 percent of U.S. counties having no abortion provider.[21] Moreover, due to the Hyde Amendment, many state health programs do not cover abortions; currently 17 states (including California, Illinois and New York) offer or require such coverage.[22]

The legality of abortion in the United States is frequently a major issue in nomination battles for the U.S. Supreme Court. However, nominees typically remain silent on the issue during their hearings, because it is an issue that may come before them as judges.

The Unborn Victims of Violence Act, commonly known as "Laci and Conner's Law" was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Bush on April 1, 2004, allowing two charges to be filed against someone who kills a pregnant mother (one for the mother and one for the fetus). It specifically bans charges against the mother and/or doctor relating to abortion procedures. Nevertheless, it has generated much controversy among pro-choice advocates. They view it as a potential step in the direction of banning abortion.

[edit] State-by-state legal status

Various states have passed legislation on the subject of feticide. On March 6, 2006, South Dakota Governor Mike Rounds signed into law a pro-life statute which made performing abortions a felony, and that law was subsequently repealed in a November 7, 2006 referendum.[23] On February 27, 2006, Mississippi’s House Public Health Committee voted to approve a ban on abortion, and that bill died after the House and Senate failed to agree on compromise legislation.[24] Several states have enacted "trigger laws" which "would take effect if Roe v. Wade is overturned."[25] North Dakota HB 1572 or the Personhood of Children Act, which passed the North Dakota House of Representatives on February 18, 2009, but was later defeated in the North Dakota Senate, aimed to allocate rights to "the pre-born, partially born", and if passed, would likely have been used to challenge Roe v. Wade.[26] On February 15, 2012, the Virginia House of Delegates passed House Bill 1 in a vote of 66-32, that effectively outlaws all Virginia abortions by declaring that the rights of persons apply from the moment sperm and egg unite. It also passed a second bill in a 63-36 vote, that requires women to have a transvaginal ultrasound before undergoing abortions.[27]

In addition, some states have been seeking to ban abortion by means of an amendment to the state constitution. Three such amendments have already reached the ballot for a vote. Colorado citizens voted on Amendment 48 on November 4, 2008, and it failed to pass, with 73.21% voting against it and 26.79% voting for it.[28] A similar initiative, Amendment 62, made the Colorado ballot on November 2, 2010, where it failed again, this time 70.53% to 29.47%.[29] On November 8, 2011 Initiative 26 appeared on the ballot, where it was defeated 57.87% to 42.13%.[30] All three of these amendments made it to the ballot through a citizen initiative process, as opposed to being referred to the ballot by their state legislatures.

These amendments, dubbed “personhood amendments,” have so far contained far-reaching language that beyond simply banning abortion. They define personhood as beginning from the moment of conception and/or fertilization, which would potentially outlaw forms of birth control, in addition to potentially banning in-vitro fertilization. The umbrella organization Personhood USA, based in Colorado and founded by Keith Mason, was responsible for getting Amendments 48 and 62 onto the ballot in Colorado.[31] They plan to get another amendment onto the ballot in 2012, this time with slightly revised wording composed by legal analyst Gualberto Garcia Jones. Personhood USA also plans on pushing for such amendments in Montana and Oregon.[32]

Voter opposition to these ballot initiatives has proven to be far stronger than the support, despite the fact that American citizens poll as being much more evenly divided on the issue of abortion.

Other states are considering personhood amendments banning abortion, some through legislative methods and others through citizen initiative campaigns. Among these states are Florida, Ohio, Georgia, Texas, and Arkansas.[33][34][35]

[edit] Statistics

Because reporting of abortions is not mandatory, statistics are of varying reliability. The Centers For Disease Control (CDC)[36] regularly compiles these statistics.

abortion ratio

Histogram of the reported abortion rate per 1,000 live births in 2005 for residents in each of the United States except California, Florida, New Hampshire, and Louisiana[

Number of abortions in United States

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), since 1973, roughly 50 million legal induced abortions have been performed in the United States.[37]

Mifepristone/RU-486

The use of the abortifacient Mifepristone is reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a "medical (nonsurgical) procedures" in the abortion surveillance reports. Medical nonsurgical abortions voluntarily reported to the CDC by 47 states (excluding California, Louisiana, and New Hampshire) as a percentage of total abortions in the United States have increased every year since the approval of Mifepristone: 1.0% in 2000, 2.9% in 2001, 5.2% in 2002, 7.9% in 2003, 9.3% in 2004, 9.9% in 2005, 10.6% in 2006, 13.1% in 2007, (15.9% of those at less than 9 weeks gestation).[39] A Guttmacher Institute survey of abortion providers estimated that medical nonsurgical abortions accounted for 13% of total abortions in the United States in 2005.[40]

[edit] Abortions and ethnicity

Abortion rates are much more common among minority women in the U.S. In 2000-2001, the rates among black and Hispanic women were 49 per 1,000 and 33 per 1,000, respectively, vs. 13 per 1,000 among non-Hispanic white women. Note that this figure includes all women of reproductive age, including women that are not pregnant. In other words, these abortion rates reflect the rate at which U.S. women of reproductive age have an abortion each year.[41] While White women obtain 60% of all abortions, African American women are three times more likely to have an abortion. [42]

In 2004, the rates of abortion by ethnicity in the U.S. were 50 abortions per 1,000 black women, 28 abortions per 1,000 Hispanic women, and 11 abortions per 1,000 white women.[43]

[edit] Reasons for abortions

Another study, in 1998, revealed that in 1987-1988 women reported the following as their primary reasons for choosing an abortion:[44] The source of this information, however, takes findings into account from 27 nations including the United States, so these findings might not be typical for most American women.

  • 25.9% Want to postpone childbearing
  • 21.3% Cannot afford a baby
  • 14.1% Has relationship problem or partner does not want pregnancy
  • 12.2% Too young; parent(s) or other(s) object to pregnancy
  • 10.8% Having a child will disrupt education or job
  • 7.9% Want no (more) children
  • 3.3% Risk to fetal health
  • 2.8% Risk to maternal health
  • 2.1% Other

According to a 1987 study that included specific data about late abortions (i.e. abortions “at 16 or more weeks' gestation”),[45] women reported that various reasons contributed to their having a late abortion:

  • 71% Woman didn't recognize she was pregnant or misjudged gestation
  • 48% Woman found it hard to make arrangements for abortion
  • 33% Woman was afraid to tell her partner or parents
  • 24% Woman took time to decide to have an abortion
  • 8% Woman waited for her relationship to change
  • 8% Someone pressured woman not to have abortion
  • 6% Something changed after woman became pregnant
  • 6% Woman didn't know timing is important
  • 5% Woman didn't know she could get an abortion
  • 2% A fetal problem was diagnosed late in pregnancy
  • 11% Other.

In 2000, cases of rape or incest accounted for 1% of abortions.[46]

A 2004 study by the Guttmacher Institute reported that women listed the following amongst their reasons for choosing to have an abortion: [47]

  • 74% Having a baby would dramatically change my life
  • 73% Can’t afford a baby now
  • 48% Don’t want to be a single mother or having relationship problems
  • 38% Have completed my childbearing
  • 32% Not ready for a(nother) child
  • 25% Don’t want people to know I had sex or got pregnant
  • 22% Don’t feel mature enough to raise a(nother) child
  • 14% Husband or partner wants me to have an abortion
  • 13% Possible problems affecting the health of the fetus
  • 12% Concerns about my health
  • 6% Parents want me to have an abortion
  • 1% Was a victim of rape
  • less than 0.5% Became pregnant as a result of incest

[edit] When women have abortions (by gestational age

 

 

Mifepristone/RU-486

The use of the abortifacient Mifepristone is reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a "medical (nonsurgical) procedures" in the abortion surveillance reports. Medical nonsurgical abortions voluntarily reported to the CDC by 47 states (excluding California, Louisiana, and New Hampshire) as a percentage of total abortions in the United States have increased every year since the approval of Mifepristone: 1.0% in 2000, 2.9% in 2001, 5.2% in 2002, 7.9% in 2003, 9.3% in 2004, 9.9% in 2005, 10.6% in 2006, 13.1% in 2007, (15.9% of those at less than 9 weeks gestation).[39] A Guttmacher Institute survey of abortion providers estimated that medical nonsurgical abortions accounted for 13% of total abortions in the United States in 2005.[40]

[edit] Abortions and ethnicity

Abortion rates are much more common among minority women in the U.S. In 2000-2001, the rates among black and Hispanic women were 49 per 1,000 and 33 per 1,000, respectively, vs. 13 per 1,000 among non-Hispanic white women. Note that this figure includes all women of reproductive age, including women that are not pregnant. In other words, these abortion rates reflect the rate at which U.S. women of reproductive age have an abortion each year.[41] While White women obtain 60% of all abortions, African American women are three times more likely to have an abortion. [42]

In 2004, the rates of abortion by ethnicity in the U.S. were 50 abortions per 1,000 black women, 28 abortions per 1,000 Hispanic women, and 11 abortions per 1,000 white women.[43]

[edit] Reasons for abortions

Another study, in 1998, revealed that in 1987-1988 women reported the following as their primary reasons for choosing an abortion:[44] The source of this information, however, takes findings into account from 27 nations including the United States, so these findings might not be typical for most American women.

  • 25.9% Want to postpone childbearing
  • 21.3% Cannot afford a baby
  • 14.1% Has relationship problem or partner does not want pregnancy
  • 12.2% Too young; parent(s) or other(s) object to pregnancy
  • 10.8% Having a child will disrupt education or job
  • 7.9% Want no (more) children
  • 3.3% Risk to fetal health
  • 2.8% Risk to maternal health
  • 2.1% Other

According to a 1987 study that included specific data about late abortions (i.e. abortions “at 16 or more weeks' gestation”),[45] women reported that various reasons contributed to their having a late abortion:

  • 71% Woman didn't recognize she was pregnant or misjudged gestation
  • 48% Woman found it hard to make arrangements for abortion
  • 33% Woman was afraid to tell her partner or parents
  • 24% Woman took time to decide to have an abortion
  • 8% Woman waited for her relationship to change
  • 8% Someone pressured woman not to have abortion
  • 6% Something changed after woman became pregnant
  • 6% Woman didn't know timing is important
  • 5% Woman didn't know she could get an abortion
  • 2% A fetal problem was diagnosed late in pregnancy
  • 11% Other.

In 2000, cases of rape or incest accounted for 1% of abortions.[46]

A 2004 study by the Guttmacher Institute reported that women listed the following amongst their reasons for choosing to have an abortion: [47]

  • 74% Having a baby would dramatically change my life
  • 73% Can’t afford a baby now
  • 48% Don’t want to be a single mother or having relationship problems
  • 38% Have completed my childbearing
  • 32% Not ready for a(nother) child
  • 25% Don’t want people to know I had sex or got pregnant
  • 22% Don’t feel mature enough to raise a(nother) child
  • 14% Husband or partner wants me to have an abortion
  • 13% Possible problems affecting the health of the fetus
  • 12% Concerns about my health
  • 6% Parents want me to have an abortion
  • 1% Was a victim of rape
  • less than 0.5% Became pregnant as a result of incest

[edit] When women have abortions (by gestational age

us abortions by gestational age

Abortion in the United States by gestational age, 2004. (Data source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Maternal death

By US statistics risk of maternal death by abortion is lower than childbirth through at least 21 weeks' gestation.[48][49]

[edit] Public opinion

Generally speaking, in the United States induced abortions become more controversial the later they are performed into the pregnancy.

Gallup notes that abortion attitudes are shifting. Gallup declared in May 2010 that more Americans identifying as "pro-life" is "the new normal", while also noting that there had been no increase in opposition to abortion. It suggested that political polarization may have prompted more Republicans to call themselves "pro-life."[50] The terms "pro-choice" and "pro-life" do not always reflect a political view or fall along a binary; in one Public Religion Research Institute poll, seven in ten Americans described themselves as "pro-choice" while almost two-thirds described themselves as "pro-life."[51]

Date of poll Pro-life Pro-choice Mixed / neither Don't know what terms mean No opinion
2011, May 5–8 45% 49% 3% 2% 2%
2010, March 26–28 46% 45% 4% 2% 3%
2009, November 20–22 45% 48% 2% 2% 3%
2009, May 7–10 51% 42% - 0 7%
2008, September 5–7 43% 51% 2% 1% 3%

[edit] By gender, party, and region

A January 2003 CBS News/New York Times poll examined whether Americans thought abortion should be legal or not, and found variations in opinion which depended upon party affiliation and the region of the country.[52] The margin of error is +/- 4% for questions answered of the entire sample ("overall" figures) and may be higher for questions asked of subgroups (all other figures).[52]

Group Generally available Available, but with stricter limits than now Not permitted
Overall 39% 38% 22%
Women 37% 37% 24%
Men 40% 40% 20%
Democrats 43% 35% 21%
Republicans 29% 41% 28%
Independents 42% 38% 18%
Northeasterners 48% 31% 19%
Midwesterners 34% 40% 25%
Southerners 33% 41% 25%
Westerners 43% 40% 16%

[edit] By trimester of pregnancy

A CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll in January 2003 asked about the legality of abortion by trimester, using the question, "Do you think abortion should generally be legal or generally illegal during each of the following stages of pregnancy?" [53] This same question was also asked by Gallup in March 2000 and July 1996.[54][55] Polls indicates general support of abortion during the first trimester although support drops dramatically for abortion during the second and third trimester.

2011 Poll 2003 Poll 2000 Poll 1996 Poll
Legal Illegal Legal Illegal Legal Illegal Legal Illegal
First trimester 62% 29% 66% 35% 66% 31% 64% 30%
Second trimester 24% 71% 25% 68% 24% 69% 26% 65%
Third trimester 10% 86% 10% 84% 8% 86% 13% 82%

[edit] By circumstance or reasons

According to Gallup's long-time polling on abortion, the majority of Americans are neither strictly Pro-Life or Pro-Choice; it depends upon circumstances. Gallup polling from 1996 to 2009 consistently reveals that when asked the question, "Do you think abortions should be legal under any circumstances, legal only under certain circumstances, or illegal in all circumstances?", Americans repeatedly answer 'legal only under certain circumstances'. According to the poll, in any given year 48-57% say legal only under certain circumstances (for 2009, 57%), 21-34% say legal under any circumstances (for 2009, 21%), and 13-19% illegal in all circumstances (for 2009, 18%), with 1-7% having no opinion (for 2009, 4%).[54]

"Do you think abortions should be legal under any circumstances, legal only under certain circumstances, or illegal in all circumstances?"

Legal under any circumstances Legal only under certain/few circumstances Illegal in all circumstances No opinion
2011 May 5–8 27% 49% 22% 3%
2009 Jul 17-19 21% 57% 18% 4%
2009 May 7–10 22% 53% 23% 2%
2008 May 8–11 28% 54% 18% 2%
2007 May 10–13 26% 55% 17% 1%
2006 May 8–11 30% 53% 15% 2%

According to the aforementioned poll,[54] Americans differ drastically based upon situation of the pregnancy, suggesting they do not support unconditional abortions. Based on two separate polls taken May 19–21, 2003, of 505 and 509 respondents respectively, Americans stated their approval for abortion under these various circumstances:

Poll Criteria Total Poll A Poll B
When the woman's life is endangered 78% 82% 75%
When the pregnancy was caused by rape or incest 65% 72% 59%
When the child would be born with a life-threatening illness 54% 60% 48%
When the child would be born mentally disabled 44% 50% 38%
When the woman does not want the child for any reason 32% 41% 24%

Another separate trio of polls taken by Gallup in 2003, 2000, and 1996,[54] revealed public support for abortion as follows for the given criteria:

Poll criteria 2003 Poll 2000 Poll 1996 Poll
When the woman's life is endangered 85% 84% 88%
When the woman's physical health is endangered 77% 81% 82%
When the pregnancy was caused by rape or incest 76% 78% 77%
When the woman's mental health is endangered 63% 64% 66%
When there is evidence that the baby may be physically impaired 56% 53% 53%
When there is evidence that the baby may be mentally impaired 55% 53% 54%
When the woman or family cannot afford to raise the child 35% 34% 32%

Gallup furthermore established public support for many issues supported by the Pro-Life community and opposed by the Pro-Choice community[54]:

Legislation 2003 Poll 2000 Poll 1996 Poll
A law requiring doctors to inform patients about alternatives to abortion before performing the procedure 88% 86% 86%
A law requiring women seeking abortions to wait 24 hours before having the procedure done 78% 74% 73%
Legislation 2005 Poll 2003 Poll 1996 Poll 1992 Poll
A law requiring women under 18 to get parental consent for any abortion 69% 73% 74% 70%
A law requiring that the husband of a married woman be notified if she decides to have an abortion 64% 72% 70% 73%

An October 2007 CBS News poll explored under what circumstances Americans believe abortion should be allowed, asking the question, "What is your personal feeling about abortion?" The results were as follows:[53]

Permitted in all cases Permitted, but subject to greater restrictions than it is now Only in cases such as rape, incest, or to save the woman's life Only permitted to save the woman's life Never Unsure
26% 16% 34% 16% 4% 4%

[edit] Additional polls
Results of Gallup opinion poll in USA since 1975 - legal restriction of abortion[56]

  • A June 2000 Los Angeles Times survey found that, although 57% of polltakers considered abortion to be murder, half of that 57% believed in allowing women access to abortion. The survey also found that, overall, 65% of respondents did not believe abortion should be legal after the first trimester, including 72% of women and 58% of men. Further, the survey found that 85% of Americans polled supported abortion in cases of risk to a woman's physical health, 54% if the woman's mental health was at risk, and 66% if a congenital abnormality was detected in the fetus.[57]
  • A July 2002 Public Agenda poll found that 44% of men and 42% of women thought that "abortion should be generally available to those who want it", 34% of men and 35% of women thought that "abortion should be available, but under stricter than limits it is now", and 21% of men and 22% of women thought that "abortion should not be permitted".[58]
  • A January 2003 ABC News/Washington Post poll also examined attitudes towards abortion by gender. In answer to the question, "On the subject of abortion, do you think abortion should be legal in all cases, legal in most cases, illegal in most cases or illegal in all cases?", 25% of women responded that it should be legal in "all cases", 33% that it should be legal in "most cases", 23% that it should be illegal in "most cases", and 17% that it should be illegal in "all cases". 20% of men thought it should be legal in "all cases", 34% legal in "most cases", 27% illegal in "most cases", and 17% illegal in "all cases".[58]
  • Most Fox News viewers favor both parental notification as well as parental consent, when a minor seeks an abortion. A Fox News poll in 2005 found that 78% of people favor a notification requirement, and 72% favor a consent requirement.[59]
  • An April 2006 Harris poll on Roe v. Wade, asked, "In 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that states' laws which made it illegal for a woman to have an abortion up to three months of pregnancy were unconstitutional, and that the decision on whether a woman should have an abortion up to three months of pregnancy should be left to the woman and her doctor to decide. In general, do you favor or oppose this part of the U.S. Supreme Court decision making abortions up to three months of pregnancy legal?", to which 49% of respondents indicated favor while 47% indicated opposition. The Harris organization has concluded from this poll that "49 percent now support Roe vs. Wade."[60]
  • Two polls were released in May 2007 asking Americans "With respect to the abortion issue, would you consider yourself to be pro-choice or pro-life?" May 4 through 6th, a CNN poll found 45% said pro-choice and 50% said pro-life.[61] Within the following week, a Gallup poll found 50% responding pro-choice and 44% pro-life.[62]

[edit] Partial birth abortion

"Partial-Birth" abortion is a non-medical term for a procedure called intact dilation and extraction used by those who oppose the procedure due to the opinion that the fetus has developed. A Rasmussen Reports poll four days after the Supreme Court's opinion in Gonzales v. Carhart found that 40% of respondents "knew the ruling allowed states to place some restrictions on specific abortion procedures." Of those who knew of the decision, 56% agreed with the decision and 32% were opposed.[63] An ABC poll from 2003 found that 62% of respondents thought "partial-birth abortion" should be illegal; a similar number of respondents wanted an exception "if it would prevent a serious threat to the woman's health." Additional polls from 2003 found between 47–70% in favor of banning this type of abortion and between 25–40% opposed.[64]

Gallup has repeatedly queried the American public on this issue, as seen on its 'Abortion' page[54]:

Legislation 2003 2000 2000 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996
A law which would make it illegal to perform a specific abortion procedure conducted in the last six months (or second and/or third trimester) of pregnancy known by some opponents as a "partial birth abortion," except in cases necessary to save the life of the mother 70% 63% 66% 64% 61% 61% 55% 57%

[edit] Abortion financing

The cost of an abortion varies depending on factors such as location, facility, timing, and type of procedure. In 2005, a nonhospital abortion at 10 weeks’ gestation ranged from $90 to $1,800 (average: $430), whereas an abortion at 20 weeks’ gestation ranged from $350 to $4,520 (average: $1,260). Costs are higher for a medical abortion than a first-trimester surgical abortion.

[edit] Medicaid

  • Federal law requires that states cover abortions under Medicaid in the event of rape, incest, and life endangerment, but bans the use of federal Medicaid funds for any other abortions.
  • Based on these restrictions, 32 states and DC fund abortions through Medicaid only in the cases of rape, incest, or life endangerment. SD covers abortions only in the cases of life endangerment, which does not comply with federal requirements under the Hyde Amendment. IN, UT and WI have expanded coverage to women whose physical health is jeopardized, and IA, MS, UT and VA also include fetal abnormality cases.
  • Seventeen states (AK, AZ, CA, CT, HI, IL, MD, MA, MN, MT, NJ, NM, NY, OR, VT, WA, WV) use their own funds to cover all or most “medically necessary” abortions sought by low-income women under Medicaid.

[edit] Private insurance

  • Five states (ID, KY, MO, ND, OK) restrict insurance coverage of abortion services in private plans: OK limits coverage to life endangerment, rape or incest circumstances; and the other four states limit coverage to cases of life endangerment.
  • Twelve states (CO, IL, KY, MA, MS, NE, ND, OH, PA, RI, SC, VA) restrict abortion coverage in insurance plans for public employees, with CO and KY restricting insurance coverage of abortion under any circumstances.
  • U.S. laws also ban federal funding of abortions for Federal employees and their dependents, Native Americans covered by the Indian Health Service, military personnel and their dependents, and women with disabilities covered by Medicare.[65]

[edit] Positions of U.S. political parties

Though members of both major political parties come down on either side of the issue, the Republican Party is often seen as being pro-life, since the official party platform opposes abortion and considers unborn children to have an inherent right to life. Republicans for Choice represents the minority of that party. In 2006 pollsters found that 9% of Republicans favor the availability of abortion in most circumstances.[66] Of Republican National Convention delegates in 2004, 13% believed that abortion should be generally available, and 38% believed that it should not be permitted. The same poll showed that 17% of all Republican voters believed that abortion should be generally available to those who want it, while 38% believed that it should not be permitted.[67]

The Democratic Party platform considers abortion to be a woman's right. Democrats for Life of America represents the minority of that party. In 2006 pollsters found that 74% of Democrats favor the availability of abortion in most circumstances.[66] However, a Zogby International poll in 2004 found that 43% of all Democrats believed that abortion "destroys a human life and is manslaughter."[68] Of Democratic National Convention delegates in 2004, 75% believed that abortion should be generally available, and 2% believed that abortion should not be permitted. The same poll showed that 49% of all Democratic voters believed that abortion should be generally available to those who want it, while 13% believed that it should not be permitted.[69]

The U.S. Green Party supports abortion as a woman's right.

The U.S. Libertarian Party takes no position on abortion, but the Party opposes any government funding of abortion.

In the United States the abortion issue has become deeply politicized: in 2002, 84% of state Democratic platforms supported the right to having an abortion while 88% of state Republican platforms opposed it. This divergence also led to Christian Right organizations like Christian Voice, Christian Coalition and Moral Majority having an increasingly strong role in the Republican Party. This opposition has been extended under the Foreign Assistance Act: in 1973 Jesse Helms introduced an amendment banning the use of aid money to promote abortion overseas, and in 1984 the Mexico City Policy prohibited financial support to any overseas organization that performed or promoted abortions. The "Mexico City Policy" was revoked by President Bill Clinton and subsequently reinstated by President George W. Bush. President Barack Obama immediately overruled this policy by Executive Order on January 23, 2009.[70]

The official platforms of the major political parties in the US are as follows:

[edit] The U.S. Republican Party

  • 2008: "Faithful to the first guarantee of the Declaration of Independence, we assert the inherent dignity and sanctity of all human life and affirm that the unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed. We support a human life amendment to the Constitution, and we endorse legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendment’s protections apply to unborn children. We oppose using public revenues to promote or perform abortion and will not fund organizations which advocate it. We support the appointment of judges who respect traditional family values and the sanctity and dignity of innocent human life..."[71]
  • 2004: "As a country, we must keep our pledge to the first guarantee of the Declaration of Independence. That is why we say the unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed. We support a human life amendment to the Constitution and we endorse legislation to make it clear that the Fourteenth Amendment’s protections apply to unborn children. Our purpose is to have legislative and judicial protection of that right against those who perform abortions. We oppose using public revenues for abortion and will not fund organizations which advocate it. We support the appointment of judges who respect traditional family values and the sanctity of innocent human life." [72]
  • 2000: "Ban abortion with Constitutional amendment. We say the unborn child has a fundamental right to life. We support a human life amendment to the Constitution and we endorse legislation that the 14th Amendment’s protections apply to unborn children. Our purpose is to have legislative and judicial protection of that right against those who perform abortions. We oppose using public revenues for abortion and will not fund organizations which advocate it. We support the appointment of judges who respect the sanctity of innocent human life." [73]
  • 2000: "Alternatives like adoption, instead of punitive action. Our goal is to ensure that women with problem pregnancies have the kind of support, material and otherwise, they need for themselves and for their babies, not to be punitive towards those for whose difficult situation we have only compassion. We oppose abortion, but our pro-life agenda does not include punitive action against women who have an abortion. We salute those who provide alternatives to abortion and offer adoption services." [73]

[edit] The U.S. Democratic Party

  • 2008: "The Democratic Party strongly and unequivocally supports Roe v. Wade and a woman's right to choose a safe and legal abortion, regardless of ability to pay, and we oppose any and all efforts to weaken or undermine that right.The Democratic Party also strongly supports access to affordable family planning services and comprehensive age-appropriate sex education which empower people to make informed choices and live healthy lives. We also recognize that such health care and education help reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and thereby also reduce the need for abortions. The Democratic Party also strongly supports a woman's decision to have a child by ensuring access to and availability of programs for pre and post natal health care, parenting skills, income support, and caring adoption programs." [74]
  • 2004: "Support right to choose even if mother cannot pay. Because we believe in the privacy and equality of women, we stand proudly for a woman's right to choose, consistent with Roe v. Wade, and regardless of her ability to pay. We stand firmly against Republican efforts to undermine that right. At the same time, we strongly support family planning and adoption incentives. Abortion should be safe, legal, and rare." [75]
  • 2000: "Choice is a fundamental, constitutional right. Democrats stand behind the right of every woman to choose. We believe it is a constitutional liberty. This year’s Supreme Court ruling show us that eliminating a woman’s right to choose is only one justice away. Our goal is to make abortion more rare, not more dangerous. We support contraceptive research, family planning, comprehensive family life education, and policies that support healthy childbearing." [76]

[edit] Effects of legalization

The risk of death due to legal abortion has fallen considerably since legalization in 1973, due to increased physician skills, improved medical technology, and earlier termination of pregnancy.[77] From 1940 through 1970, deaths of pregnant women during abortion fell from nearly 1,500 to a little over 100.[77] According to the Centers for Disease Control, the number of women who died in 1972 from illegal abortion was thirty-nine (39).[78] In 1960, Dr. Mary Calderone, a former director of Planned Parenthood, said:

Abortion is no longer a dangerous procedure. This applies not just to therapeutic abortions as performed in hospitals but also to so-called illegal abortions as done by physician. In 1957 there were only 260 deaths in the whole country attributed to abortions of any kind ...90 percent of all illegal abortions are presently being done by physicians ...Whatever trouble arises usually arises from self-induced abortions, which comprise approximately 8 percent, or with the very small percentage that go to some kind of non-medical abortionist...[79]

The Roe effect is an hypothesis which suggests that since supporters of abortion rights cause the erosion of their own political base by having fewer children, the practice of abortion will eventually lead to the restriction or illegalization of abortion. The legalized abortion and crime effect is another controversial theory that posits legal abortion reduces crime, because unwanted children are more likely to become criminals.

Since Roe v Wade, there have been numerous attempts to reverse the decision. In the 2011 election season, Mississippi placed an amendment on the ballot that redefine how the state viewed abortion. The personhood amendment defined personhood as "every human being from the moment of fertilization, cloning or the functional equivalent thereof". If passed, it would have been impossible to get an abortion in the state. [80]

On July 11, 2012, a Mississippi federal judge ordered an extension of his temporary order to allow the state's only abortion clinic to stay open. The order will stay in place until U.S. District Judge Daniel Porter Jordan III can review newly drafted rules on how the Mississippi Department of Health will administer a new abortion law. The law in question went in effect on July 1.[81]

[edit] See also

Notable cases
  • Becky Bell, an American teenage girl who died as a result of a unsafe abortion in 1988.
  • Sherri Finkbine, an actress who had difficulty seeking an abortion for her Thalidomide deformed baby.
  • Gerardo Flores, convicted in 2005 on two counts of capital murder for giving his girlfriend, who was carrying twins, an at-home abortion.
  • Susannah Lattin, an American woman who died of a postpartum infection at an illegal abortion clinic in 1868.
  • Gerri Santoro, an American woman who died because of an illegal abortion in 1964.

[edit] Notes and references

  1. ^ Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113, 154 (1973) "We, therefore, conclude that the right of personal privacy includes the abortion decision, but that this right is not unqualified, and must be considered against important state interests in regulation."
  2. ^ According to the Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade:
    "(a) For the stage prior to approximately the end of the first trimester, the abortion decision and its effectuation must be left to the medical judgment of the pregnant woman's attending physician.
    "(b) For the stage subsequent to approximately the end of the first trimester, the State, in promoting its interest in the health of the mother, may, if it chooses, regulate the abortion procedure in ways that are reasonably related to maternal health.
    "(c) For the stage subsequent to viability, the State in promoting its interest in the potentiality of human life may, if it chooses, regulate, and even proscribe, abortion except where it is necessary, in appropriate medical judgment, for the preservation of the life or health of the mother."
    Likewise, Black's Law Dictionary defines abortion as "knowing destruction" or "intentional expulsion or removal."
  3. ^ James Wilson, "Of the Natural Rights of Individuals" (1790-1792). Also see William Blackstone, Commentaries (1765): "Life ...begins in contemplation of law as soon as an infant is able to stir in the mother's womb."
  4. ^ Suzanne M. Alford, Is Self-Abortion a Fundamental Right?, 52 Duke Law Journal 1011.
  5. ^ Boyer, Ed. by Paul S. (2006). The Oxford companion to United States history. Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press. pp. 3. ISBN 978-0-19-508209-8.
  6. ^ Johnson, Linnea. "Something Real: Jane and Me. Memories and Exhortations of a Feminist Ex-Abortionist". CWLU Herstory Project. http://www.cwluherstory.org/something-real-jane-and-me-memories-and-exhortations-of-a-feminist-ex-abortionist.html. Retrieved 2010-05-23.
  7. ^ Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1972). Findlaw.com. Retrieved 2011-04-14.
  8. ^ An Interview with Norma McCorvey. Ann Scheidler, Chicago Pro-life Action League. April 20, 1996.
  9. ^ Affidavit of Sandra Cano. January 2, 2005.
  10. ^ Traister, Rebecca. (March 13, 2006). "Roe for men?." Salon.com. Retrieved December 17, 2007.
  11. ^ Roe vs. Wade… for men. The National Center for Men. Retrieved November 25, 2011.
  12. ^ "U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, case No. 06-11016" (PDF). http://www.ca6.uscourts.gov/opinions.pdf/07a0442p-06.pdf.
  13. ^ Planned Parenthood v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833, 878 (1992), "(b) We reject the rigid trimester framework of Roe v. Wade. To promote the State's profound interest in potential life, throughout pregnancy the State may take measures to ensure that the woman's choice is informed, and measures designed to advance this interest will not be invalidated as long as their purpose is to persuade the woman to choose childbirth over abortion. These measures must not be an undue burden on the right."
  14. ^ Planned Parenthood v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833, 878 (1992), "(a) To protect the central right recognized by Roe v. Wade while at the same time accommodating the State's profound interest in potential life, we will employ the undue burden analysis as explained in this opinion. An undue burden exists, and therefore a provision of law is invalid, if its purpose or effect is to place a substantial obstacle in the path of a woman seeking an abortion before the fetus attains viability."
  15. ^ Planned Parenthood v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833, 846 (1992)
  16. ^ Greenhouse, Linda (April 19, 2007). "Justices Back Ban on Method of Abortion". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/19/washington/19scotus.html. Retrieved January 3, 2010.
  17. ^ Interactive maps comparing U.S. abortion restrictions by state, LawServer
  18. ^ "The Constitution of the United States of America: As Amended". 2007-07-25. http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_cong_documents&docid=f:hd050.pdf. Retrieved 2009-02-17.
  19. ^ Report, Committee on the Judiciary, U.S. Senate, on Senate Joint Resolution 3, 98th Congress, 98-149, June 7, 1983, p. 6.
  20. ^ Baptist Hospital of Miami, Fact Sheet (2006).
  21. ^ "Access to Abortion" (PDF). National Abortion Federation. 2003. Archived from the original on 19 June 2007. http://www.prochoice.org/pubs_research/publications/downloads/about_abortion/access_abortion.pdf. Retrieved 2007-06-17.
  22. ^ "Public Funding for Abortion" (map)
  23. ^ Myers, Megan. "S.D. rejects abortion ban", Argus Leader, (2006-11-08). Retrieved 2007-01-23.
  24. ^ MacIntyre, Krystal. "Mississippi abortion ban bill fails as legislators miss deadline for compromise", Jurist News Archive (2006-03-28). Retrieved 2007-01-23.
  25. ^ Alford, Jeremy. "Louisiana Governor Plans To Sign Anti-Abortion Law". New York Times. Section A; Column 3; National Desk; Pg. 18 June 7, 2006. Retrieved December 23, 2007. Quote: "Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco's office said Tuesday that she would shortly sign into law a strict ban on abortion that would permit abortion only in the case where a woman's life was threatened by pregnancy. The bill, approved by both houses of the Legislature and sent to the governor on Monday, would go into effect only if the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade ...Eleven other states are considering similar measures. Six other states have bans, similar to the Louisiana bill, that would be put into effect by the end of Roe."
  26. ^ "US state's 'personhood' law would hit birth control: opponents" 2009-02-18 AFP
  27. ^ Lewis, Bob. The Associated Press, "Va. House GOP muscles through abortion curbs," Feb 15, 2012. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jDJo6Rmjkz3zeWB0kts8PJRiTglQ?docId=e5acbabbd6f94f798144a59a25171086
  28. ^ Denver Post, “Amendment 48—Definition of a Person Election Results,” 2008. http://data.denverpost.com/election/results/amendment/2008/48-definition-of-person/
  29. ^ Colorado Secretary of State, “Colorado Cumulative Report,” Nov 2, 2010. http://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/electionresults2010/general/ColoradoReport.html
  30. ^ Associated Press, “Mississippi County Vote Results,” Nov 9, 2011. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/files/elections/2011/by_county/MS_Page_1108.html?SITE=AP&SECTION=POLITICS
  31. ^ Armstrong, Ari and Diana Hsieh. “The ‘Personhood’ Movement is Anti-Life: Why It Matters that Rights Begin at Birth, Not Conception,” August 31, 2010. http://www.seculargovernment.us/docs/a62.pdf
  32. ^ Huffington Post, “Personhood USA, Colorado-Based Anti-Choice Group, Announces 3rd Try at Colo. Personhood Amendment,” Nov 21, 2011. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/21/personhood-usa-colorado-b_n_1105079.html
  33. ^ Think Progress Health, “Personhood May Appear on Arkansas Ballot,” Nov 3, 2011. http://thinkprogress.org/health/2011/11/03/361040/personhood-amendment-may-appear-on-arkansas-ballot/
  34. ^ Samuel, Stephanie. The Christian Post, “DNC Chair: Personhood Amendment is ‘Extreme and Radical’,” Nov 4, 2011. http://www.christianpost.com/news/dnc-chair-personhood-amendment-is-extreme-and-radical-60582/
  35. ^ GPB News, “Georgia Has ‘Personhood’ Bills,” Nov 18, 2011. http://www.gpb.org/news/2011/11/18/georgia-has-personhood-bills
  36. ^ [1]
  37. ^ Facts on Induced Abortion in the United States
  38. ^ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2008-11-28). "Abortion Surveillance — United States, 2005". Archived from the original on 22 January 2009. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/ss/ss5713.pdf. Retrieved 2009-01-21.
  39. ^ Pazol, Karen; Gamble, Sonya B.; Parker, Wilda Y.; Cook, Douglas A.; Zane, Suzanne B.; Hamdan, Saeed; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (November 27, 2009). "Abortion surveillance--United States, 2006". MMWR Surveill Summ 58 (8): 1–35. PMID 19940837. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/ss/ss5808.pdf. Retrieved 2010-06-11.
  40. ^ Jones, Rachel K.; Zolna, Mia R. S.; Henshaw, Stanley K.; Finer, Lawrence B. (March 2008). "Abortion in the United States: incidence and access to services, 2005". Perspect Sex Reprod Health 40 (1): 6–16. DOI:10.1363/4000608. PMID 18318867. http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/119422493/PDFSTART. Retrieved 2010-06-11.
  41. ^ Guttmacher.org Get "In the Know": Questions About Pregnancy, Contraception and Abortion
  42. ^ The Center for Bio-Ethical Reform[2]
  43. ^ Abortion Rate Falls, But Not Equally for All Women, Time magazine, September 23, 2008
  44. ^ Bankole et al., "Reasons Why Women Have Induced Abortions: Evidence from 27 Countries", International Family Planning Perspectives (1998). Also see Lawrence B. Finer, Lori F. Frohwirth, Lindsay A. Dauphinee, Susheela Singh, and Ann M. Moore, "Reasons U.S. Women Have Abortions: Quantitative and Qualitative Perspectives", Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 37(3):110-118 (September 2005).
  45. ^ Aida Torres and Jacqueline Darroch Forrest, "Why Do Women Have Abortions", Family Planning Perspectives, 20 (4) Jul/Aug 1988, pp 169-176 (The bimonthly research journal of The Alan Guttmacher Institute): "Some 42 facilities were originally invited to participate in the study; these include six at which a relatively large number of late abortions (those at 16 or more weeks' gestation) were performed."
  46. ^ Guttmacher Institute,"Induced Abortion Facts in Brief" (2002) (13,000 out of 1.31 million abortions in 2000 were on account of rape or incest). Retrieved via InfoPlease 2007-01-07.
  47. ^ Reasons U.S. Women Have Abortions: Quantitative and Qualitative Perspectives Guttmacher Institute, page 113]
  48. ^ Bartlett LA, Berg CJ, Shulman HB, et al. (April 2004). "Risk factors for legal induced abortion-related mortality in the United States". Obstet Gynecol 103 (4): 729–37. DOI:10.1097/01.AOG.0000116260.81570.60. PMID 15051566.
  49. ^ Trupin, Suzanne (May 27, 2010). "Elective Abortion". eMedicine. http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/252560-overview. Retrieved June 1, 2010. "At every gestational age, elective abortion is safer for the mother than carrying a pregnancy to term."
  50. ^ The New Normal on Abortion: Americans More "Pro-Life"
  51. ^ "Committed to Availability, Conflicted about Morality: What the Millennial Generation Tells Us about the Future of the Abortion Debate and the Culture Wars". Public Religion Research Institute. June 9, 2011. http://publicreligion.org/research/2011/06/committed-to-availability-conflicted-about-morality-what-the-millennial-generation-tells-us-about-the-future-of-the-abortion-debate-and-the-culture-wars/.
  52. ^ a b "Poll: Strong Support For Abortion Rights" (January 22, 2003). CBS News.'.' Retrieved January 11, 2007.
  53. ^ a b The Polling Report. (2008). Retrieved 2008-09-10.
  54. ^ a b c d e f "Abortion". Gallup Poll. Gallup.com. pp. 2. Archived from the original on 13 May 2010. http://www.gallup.com/poll/1576/abortion.aspx. Retrieved 2010-05-13.
  55. ^ See Saad, "Americans Walk the Middle Road on Abortion," The Gallup Poll Monthly (April 2000); Gallup Poll Topics from Florida Right to Life. Retrieved 2007-01-12.
  56. ^ Abortion
  57. ^ Rubin, Allisa J. (June 18, 2000). "Americans Narrowing Support for Abortion." Los Angeles Times.'.' Retrieved January 11, 2007.
  58. ^ a b Public Agenda Online. (2006). Men and women hold similar views on the legality of abortion[dead link]. Retrieved January 11, 2006.
  59. ^ FOX News/Opinion Dynamics Poll. April 25–26, 2005: "Do you think a female under age 18 should be required by state law to notify at least one parent or guardian before having an abortion?" 78% yes, 17% no. "Do you think a female under age 18 should be required by state law to get permission or consent from at least one parent or guardian before having an abortion?" 72% yes, 22% no.
  60. ^ Harris Interactive, (2006-05-04). "Support for Roe vs. Wade Declines to Lowest Level Ever." Retrieved 2007-01-04. Pro-life activists have disputed whether the Harris poll question is a valid measure of public opinion about Roe's overall decision, because the question focuses only on the first three months of pregnancy. See Franz, Wanda. "The Continuing Confusion About Roe v. Wade", NRL News (June 2007). Also see Adamek, Raymond. "Abortion Polls", Public Opinion Quarterly, Vol. 42, No. 3 (Autumn, 1978), pp. 411-413.
  61. ^ CNN Opinion Research Poll, (2007-05-09). Retrieved 2007-05-27.
  62. ^ "Abortion" The Gallup Poll (5/21/2007) Retrieved 2007-05-28.
  63. ^ Most Who Know of Decision Agree With Supreme Court on Partial Birth Abortion Rasmussen Reports. April 22, 2007. Retrieved on April 26, 2007
  64. ^ Abortion and Birth Control. PollingReports.com'.' Retrieved April 26, 2007.
  65. ^ "Women's Health Policy Facts" (PDF). The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. 2008. http://www.kff.org/womenshealth/upload/3269-02.pdf. Retrieved 2009-01-02.
  66. ^ a b http://www.zogby.com/search/ReadNews.dbm?ID=1060
  67. ^ The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/politics/20040829_gop_poll/2004_gop_results.pdf.
  68. ^ "New National Abortion Poll Shows Majority of Americans are Pro-Life". Zogby International. 16 January 2004. Archived from the original on 2004-12-05. http://web.archive.org/web/20041205031117/http://www.zogby.com/Soundbites/ReadClips.dbm?ID=6982. Retrieved 2011-06-29.
  69. ^ The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/politics/20040724poll/20040724_delegates_poll_results.pdf.
  70. ^ Gilbert, Kathleen (2009-01-20). "Obama to Immediately Abolish Mexico City Policy, Likely Fund Embryo Research, Aides Confirm". Archived from the original on 22 January 2009. http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/jan/09012010.html. Retrieved 2009-01-21.
  71. ^ GOP party platform 2008
  72. ^ GOP party platform 2004, p.84.
  73. ^ a b Republican Platform adopted at GOP National Convention August 12, 2000.
  74. ^ Dem Party Platform's New Abortion Language, Dem Platform's New Abortion Language (2008). cbn.com. Retrieved 2008-08-13.
  75. ^ The Democratic Platform for America, p.36 July 10, 2004.
  76. ^ Democratic National Platform August 15, 2000.
  77. ^ a b "Induced termination of pregnancy before and after Roe v. Wade", JAMA, 12/9/92, vol. 208, no. 22, p. 3231-3239.
  78. ^ Lilo T. Strauss, M.A., Joy Herndon, M.S., Jeani Chang, M.P.H., Wilda Y. Parker Sonya V. Bowens, M.S., Suzanne B. Zane, D.V.M., Cynthia J. Berg, M.D., Abortion Surveillance --- United States, 2001 (Table 19).
  79. ^ Calderone Mary S (1960). "Illegal Abortion as a Public Health Problem". American Journal of Public Health 50: 948. PMC 1373382. PMID 13806906. //www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=1373382.
  80. ^ "Mississippi 'Personhood' Amendment Vote Fails". Huffington Post. November 8, 2011. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/08/mississippi-personhood-amendment_n_1082546.html.
  81. ^ Phillips, Rich. "Judge lets Mississippi's only abortion clinic stay open -- for now". CNN.

[edit] External links

 

THESE LINKS ARE ABOUT ABORTION VIOLENCE.  THESE PEOPLE ARE PRO-LIFE AND STILL KILL OTHERS OVER THE ISSUE

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&gs_nf=1&cp=14&gs_id=1i&xhr=t&q=abortion+violenc
e&pf=p&output=search&sclient=psy-ab&oq=abortion+viole&gs_l=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=fe6f8da2
d5e72e38&biw=1036&bih=738

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