The Kansas Department of Health & Environment (KDHE) today reported a 2.4% drop in total Kansas abortions for 2016, compared to 2015. 6,810 abortions were registered with KDHE last year (including 20 obtained by Kansas women in other states), a drop from 6,974 abortions in 2015.
There were two encouraging stats. Fewer Kansas abortions were obtained by girls under age 16 (46 in 2016, 55 in 2015), and the category of ‘filings of physical, mental or emotional abuse or neglect’ decreased to 4%, down from 6% in 2015.
Some disturbing trends, however, continue:
- a 9.7% rise in gruesome, dismemberment method abortions, from 629 in 2015 up to 690 in 2016.
- an 8.7% jump in abortion by pills from 44.3% (3,092) in 2015 to 53% (3, 617) in 2016.
- a steady rise in repeat abortions; 65% of the total were not a first-time abortion, as opposed to 60%, ten years ago.
- 7% increase –from 720 to 770 abortions in Sedgwick County (home of Wichita with two abortion businesses)– after a drop from 834 abortions in 2014.
Otherwise, rates of abortions, including age, marital status, and racial groupings, stayed basically the same.
The 2016 total consisted of 6,790 abortions obtained in Kansas (3,381 to non-residents and 3,409 to Kansans) and an additional 20 abortions Kansas women obtained outside the state, including one at 22 weeks or greater gestation. That is the age abortions are banned in Kansas, as that is the age at which the pain-capability of unborn children is scientifically recognized.
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DISMEMBERMENT ABORTIONS
It is very discouraging to see an increase in dismemberment abortions of unborn children in Kansas despite state and national pro-life education detailing this horrible procedure. This in no small part may be attributed to the dismemberment method being labeled by clinics on their websites merely as “D&E” with the sanitized description as “removing the pregnancy.”
According to KDHE statistics for last year, 690 abortions were listed under the category of “D&E” method, 61 more than last year.
That means that 690 well-developed unborn girls and boys were hacked apart while still alive, and bled to death in Kansas abortion clinics.
Kansas in 2015 outlawed –by specific definition– the dismembering of still-living unborn children, but that ban is under a temporary injunction and thus not in effect. The Kansas Supreme Court is now considering whether to uphold that injunction under a legal claim that the state constitution contains a broad right to abortion that protects such barbarity.
Kansas has four locations for abortions, two in Overland Park and two in Wichita. Eight abortionists (five over age 74) are listed as on staff for all locations, without one bit of professional information about them on the consent form. Read details here.
Kansans for Life reminds pro-lifers to encourage their state Senators to pass the Disclose Act, requiring basic professional data be printed on online consent forms. Read more about the measure here and see the video here.
The House has already passed the Disclose Act. The legislature returns from spring break on May 1. The Senate contact information is here. Unsure who your state senator is? Find out here.
LifeNews.com Note: Kathy Ostrowski is the legislative director for Kansans for Life, the state affiliate to the National Right to Life Committee.
