Study Shows Most Colleges Lack Adequate Pregnancy Help, Causing Abortions
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
April 23, 2008
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — College-aged women have more abortions than any other age range of women in the United States and a leading pro-life group that reaches out to college students says a lack of resources for pregnant and parenting students on most university campuses is part of the problem.
In a new study released Wednesday, Feminists for Life of America released what it considered the first nationwide survey of pregnancy help for college students.
The survey highlights the perceptions that students have about resource availability on their campuses.
According to the report, Perception is Reality, most college campuses either lack appropriate resources or students aren’t aware of the resources available.
Students were most confused or unaware of campus childcare options, school financial aid, and healthcare policies.
Serrin Foster, the director of the group and a frequent speaker on college campuses, says, for students confronting an unexpected pregnancy or hoping to continue their education as a new parent, the perception that they have no resources or support is their reality.
The lack of — or perceived lack of — support is likely causing some college women to have abortions because they feel financially incapable of caring for a newborn and completing their education.
FFL’s Pregnancy Resources Survey grew out of the pregnancy resource forums the group has held on university campuses across the nation to try to promote awareness.
“This survey confirms everything I have been told during the last decade of moderating Pregnancy Resource Forums on campuses across the country,” Foster said.
“Even when students who are not feeling the pressure of an unplanned pregnancy try to look for resources, either they can’t find them or the resources are inadequate or expensive," she added.
"And perception is reality. A perceived lack of resources can drive pregnant women to abortion or result in parents dropping out of college to face a lifetime of poverty," Foster explained. "Pregnant women and parents need and deserve better resources and easily accessible information.”
In January 1997, FFL President Serrin Foster moderated the first of many pregnancy forums at Georgetown University to evaluate resources on and off campus as well as help administrators and students create a blueprint for progress.
“It appeared that either the resources were lacking or information about existing support was missing on many campuses,” said Foster.
The repeated stories of students unable to find adequate pregnancy help forced Feminists for Life to see if the problem was a universal one or isolated at some colleges.
“We needed to see if this was widespread," Foster said.
To combat the problem, FFL has urged Congress and state legislatures to adopt legislation funding grants for colleges to create new programs or promote existing ones.
Related web sites:
Feminists for Life of America – https://www.feministsforlife.org
