Monday, November 24, 2008

Ohio abortions on the decline

I read the headline, Ohio abortions decline, and I thought, "great news." 

But then I read the article. 

According to the article published in The Columbus Dispatch, "In 2007, 30,859 pregnancies were terminated, down more than 6 percent from the previous year and the lowest number since the state began keeping statistics in 1976. A report by the Ohio Department of Health shows abortions have been declining since 2000, when 38,140 were performed."

Wait, did I read that right? Over 30,000? Just in the state of Ohio? Holy smokes! That is a crazy-high number!

Here are some of the facts:
  • About 1 in 8 abortions were performed on women younger than 20.
  • Women with at least one child accounted for 60 percent of abortions.
  • Eighty-two percent of the abortions were performed on unmarried women.
  • Women between the ages of 20 and 24 accounted for a third of abortions, more than any other age group.
  • Eighty-six percent of abortions were performed before the 12th week of pregnancy.
  • Ohio continues to have a lower rate of abortions than the national average.
  • Although Ohio statistics are not available, national figures show that unintended pregnancies are increasing among lower-income women while decreasing among higher-income women.
  • Nationally, those with a high-school diploma or less underwent nearly two-thirds of the procedures.
So what do you make of all this? I think it is wonderful that abortions are on the decline, but to know that my state still performs over 30,000 abortions every year? Well, we have a LONG way to go.

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