Kansas Women’s Abortions Drop to Lowest Level Since 1991

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Apr 1, 2004   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

Kansas Women’s Abortions Drop to Lowest Level Since 1991

by Paul Nowak
LifeNews.com Staff Writer
April 1, 2004

Topeka, KS (LifeNews.com) — The number of abortions obtained by Kansas women has dropped to its lowest level since 1991, according to a report from the state Department of Health and Environment.

A total of 11,697 abortions were performed in 2003, 147 less than the previous year. About 52 percent, or 6,163, were preformed on Kansas women, the lowest number since 1991 when 6,070 Kansas women had abortions.

Teen abortions declined as well. Abortion obtained by girls 15 to 19 declined to 2,005 in 2003, continuing a four year downward trend.

While pro-abortion as well as pro-life groups have claimed credit for the declining numbers, Mary Kay Culp, executive director of Kansans for Life, says recent polls have shown the younger generations are increasingly opposed to abortion.

"Maybe it’s because technology is there to show the humanity involved," said Culp. "With sonograms, people are seeing pictures of their babies. The unborn child used to be considered just a piece of material. But now people can see with their own eyes that’s not the case."

Kathleen Ostrowski, legislative director of Kansans for Life, addressed Planned Parenthood’s response that emergency contraception and their sexual education programs had reduced the number of abortions in Kansas and around the country.

“Planned Parenthood has not helped lower pregnancy through its constant drumbeat for unfettered sexual activity and abortion pills at the bedside of minors, Ostrowski told LifeNews.com. “Planned Parenthood has not discouraged teen sex with decades of government-funded public school sex initiation classes that undercut parental involvement. Planned Parenthood has not contributed to successful sexual education by arguing against the validity of an abstinence message.

“Let’s face it–the trend against abortion and teen pregnancy happened despite, not because of, Planned Parenthood,” concluded Ostrowski.

Last year was also the fourth consecutive year that no partial birth abortions were preformed in Kansas. The constitutionality of a federal ban on such a procedure is currently being questioned, and trials are underway in three states. Opponents claim that the procedure is sometimes necessary to protect the life of the mother.

However, the Department of Health’s records show that for the past 6 years, no late term abortions (after the 22nd week) were preformed to save the life of the mother in Kansas. Of the 419 late-term abortions preformed in Kansas in 2003, 318 involved viable unborn children.

Over 81 percent of the women obtaining an abortion were unmarried, and the largest age group, making up 36 percent of the total, was 20-24 year olds.

Related sites:
Kansas Department of Health and Environment Abortion Reports: https://www.kdhe.state.ks.us/hci/absumm.html
Kansans for Life: https://www.kfl.org