By Dave Andrusko

Understandably, pro-lifers have devoted the lion's share of our attention to the historic battle against ObamaCare.

But at the same time, it's essential to rejoice when we hear of good news from the states.

A preliminary report released Friday by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) revealed that the 9,472 abortions performed in 2009 were the lowest reported number since 1990. That roughly 11% decline from 2008 meant not only that 1,171 fewer babies died in Kansas, it also represented the largest one-year decline in more than a decade.

Predictably, the local paper's focus was to almost exclusively attribute the decline to the shooting death of abortionist George Tiller. But a much more complete and nuanced explanation came from Kathy Ostrowski.

Writing on the Kansans for Life's blog [http://kansansforlife.wordpress.com], she cited two other reasons.

76 no-cost statewide pregnancy centers, with 19 offering free sonogram services and a Wichita perinatal hospice center; new provisions of the 2009 Woman's Right to Know and See Act, including the mom's right to an ultrasound viewing before submitting to abortion.

Ostrowski goes on to explain these two developments in detail. Much better than paraphrasing is merely to quote her.

PREGNANCY HELP CENTERS

Last year approximately 32,000 Kansas women contacted their local pregnancy assistance center, that's nearly 7 times the number of Kansas females who obtained abortions–-4,778.

The centers help women and their families in a variety of ways– before, during and after delivery. Without the personal encouragement, baby supplies and network of support services provided by the volunteer-run centers, the Kansas abortion rate would certainly rise dramatically.

NEW LAW IN EFFECT

The Woman's Right to Know and See Act went into effect July 2009, having been promoted through KFL's "Look at me, Mommy" campaign. The Act had several educational components that haven't yet been properly implemented by KDHE, but the statute does give mothers at abortion clinics new rights:a warning about coercion, well-posted inside the clinic; access to free medical help for fetal abnormalities; and the ability to see the fetal ultrasound inside abortion clinics. Together, these provisions work to empower women who are conflicted or are being rushed into abortion by friends and family members. Although we have no way yet of gauging how often women are speaking up to see the ultrasound, viewing the image helps a woman bond with her unborn baby.

Fewer abortions in Kansas is a great thing, ensuring more enriched lives, with the added positive benefit of less breast cancer and premature births. The nationwide abortion rate has been trending down for some time as the harms of abortion become more evident, with more than half of Americans polled now self-identifying as pro-life.

Be sure to send your thoughts to daveandrusko@gmail.com and to read www.nationalrighttolifenews.org.

Part One
Part Two