Wisconsin Abortions at Record Low Since 1974 With Third Annual Decline 
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
April 9, 2007
Madison, WI (LifeNews.com) — The number of abortions is at its lowest point in Wisconsin since the year after the Supreme Court overturned pro-life laws across the country in 1973. New statistics from the state health department show that there were 9,580 abortions done in the state in 2006, down from 9,817 in 2005.
This is the third year in a row that abortions in the Midwestern state have decreased and the number is the lowest since 1974.
"Wisconsin Right to Life is ecstatic that Wisconsin abortion numbers continue to decline," Barbara Lyons, the group’s director, told LifeNews.com in a statement.
"In addition, the abortion rate (which represents the number of abortions per 1000 women of childbearing age) remains at 8, which is one of the lowest abortion rates in the nation," Lyons added. The national abortion rate is about 15 per 1,000 women.
In the statement, Wisconsin Right to Life suggests that the abortions are on the decline because of its work and pro-life legislation the state has enacted and polls showing that younger Americans are more pro-life than previous generations.
"It is clear that the strategies of Wisconsin Right to Life are working," said Lyons. "There is nothing more satisfying than knowing that thousands of babies have been spared a violent death from abortion."
Because of pro-life laws the group has supported, it estimates that 62,206 human lives have been saved since 1987.
The new totals come from the state Department of Health and Family Services. According to the report, which LifeNews.com obtained:
* Wisconsin residents accounted for most of the abortions with 9,352 on state residents out of 9,580 overall.
* There are 14 abortions per 100 life births in Wisconsin, lower than the 24 per 100 live births nationwide.
* Women in the age group 20-24 accounted for the largest proportion (34 percent) of reported abortions and eleven percent of reports were for women 35 years of age or older. Those aged 18-19 obtained 11 percent of the reported abortions and those aged 15-17 obtained 6 percent.
* In 2006, there were 596 abortions on minors. Written consent (usually by a parent) was provided in 530 of these; the patient was an emancipated minor in 24; and a court granted a petition to waive the parental consent requirement in 42. There were no teens who got abortions after being victimized by sexual assault.
* Seventy-eight percent of reported abortions on Wisconsin residents were obtained by women who had never been married; 12 percent by currently married women; 8 percent by women who were divorced; 3 percent by women who were separated; and less than 1 percent by women who were widowed.
* Some 85 percent of the abortions were surgical and 15 percent involved abortion drugs, an increase of one percent over 2005.
* About 69 percent of the abortions were done on white women, 24 percent by black women, 1 percent by American Indian women, and 4 percent by Asian/Pacific Islander women. Nine percent were done on Hispanics.
"We commend our supporters and volunteers for their tremendous, selfless dedication which has so greatly contributed to the decline in abortion deaths," the group concluded.
Related web sites:
Wisconsin Right to Life – https://www.wisconsinrighttolife.org
