Michigan Abortions Drop 14% in 2009 to Record Low Despite Poor Economy
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
July 19, 2010
Lansing, MI (LifeNews.com) — The poor economic conditions in Michigan were supposed to elevate the number of abortions, but recently-released statistics from the Michigan Department of Community Health reveal otherwise. The number of abortions performed in Michigan decreased in 2009.
The report shows 22,357 abortions done in Michigan during 2009 compared to 25,970 Michigan abortions reported in 2008, a drop of 13.9 percent or 3,613 abortions.
Since 1987, there has been a 54.4 percent decrease in the number of abortions done in Michigan annually and they have decreased in four of the last six years.
The number of abortions performed in 2009 represents the lowest annual total of reported abortions in Michigan since abortion businesses were required to start reporting information in 1979.
Right to Life of Michigan president Barbara Listing told LifeNews.com she is ecstatic about the news.
"We are extremely grateful for the continuing decrease in Michigan abortions despite the hard economic times we’ve faced in Michigan," she said. "The fact that fewer mothers are having abortions in Michigan shows more and more women are coming to the realization that abortion is not the answer for an unplanned pregnancy."
Listing said new polling data from CBS and Gallup show the nation is turning its back on the idea that abortion is the solution to unplanned pregnancy.
A CBS poll, conducted in April of 2010 found that 61 percent of Americans favor either stricter limits on abortion (38 percent) or that abortion should not be permitted (23 percent). A Gallup poll, released in May 2010, found that a plurality of Americans consider themselves "pro-life." For two years in a row, more Americans have called themselves "pro-life" than "pro-choice."
Listing said, "There are far too many women who enter an abortion clinic thinking abortion is their only choice. Thinking abortion is your only choice is equivalent to having no choice at all."
"Unfortunately, not enough women know that there are more than 150 pregnancy centers in Michigan which are here to help. All women deserve real, life-affirming options for themselves and their children," she told LifeNews.com.
Right to Life of Michigan maintains a toll-free phone number, 1-800-57-WOMAN and Internet outreaches designed to connect women to essential resources.
Related web sites:
Right to Life of Michigan – https://www.rtl.org
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