Minnesota Abortions Fall for Third Straight Year to New Low, Pro-Lifers Elated

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Jul 1, 2010   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

Minnesota Abortions Fall for Third Straight Year to New Low, Pro-Lifers Elated

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
July 1
, 2010

St. Paul, MN (LifeNews.com) — Although every abortion is a tragedy and Minnesota pro-life groups want to see the day when all unborn children are protected, they are celebrating the news today that abortion totals in the state have fallen for the third straight year. They’re looking to drive down those numbers even further.

The latest report on abortion issued today by the Minnesota Department of Health reveals the decrease is part of a three-year trend of fewer abortions statewide since the Positive Alternatives program has funded efforts to help pregnant women in need.

The annual Abortion Report shows abortion businesses in the state reported a total of 12,388 abortions in 2009 compared with 12,948 the previous year.

Positive Alternatives is one of several pro-life legislative efforts by Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life (MCCL) to offer women life-affirming alternatives to abortion and to significantly reduce the number of unborn babies aborted each year.

The 2009 total is the lowest number on record since 1975, showing a historic drop.

“MCCL is very pleased to see that abortion numbers fell again last year,” the pro-life group’s director Scott Fischbach told LifeNews.com late Wednesday.

"Even so, the fact that so many pregnant women last year believed that abortion was their only option remains a tragedy," he added.

Positive Alternatives was passed by the Legislature in 2005 to establish a grant program through MDH. Grants are given to life-affirming organizations offering essential services to women. Some 31 groups are currently participating in the Positive Alternatives grant program.

MCCL indicates a MDH report showed that more than 12,000 women statewide were helped through the Positive Alternatives program in its first two years and another 6,000 women received help in the program’s third year.

"The fact that thousands of pregnant women last year still believed that abortion was their only option underscores the enormous need for women to find alternatives to abortion," Fischbach said.

“It is crucial that every pregnant woman know that she does not need to have an abortion,” Fischbach said. “There are literally thousands of health care professionals and compassionate volunteers ready to help pregnant women all over Minnesota facing unintended pregnancies.”

Related web sites:
Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life – https://www.mccl.org

 

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