Pennsylvania Annual Abortion Stats Released
Planned Parenthood Increases Abortions, Pro-Life Agencies Provide Real Choices for Women

Analysis by David Bunnell
LifeLines Editor

Harrisburg, PA -- The state's Department of Health released the latest annual abortion statistics in January, and they showed that the total number of abortions in Pennsylvania increased in the year 2000 by 3.3%. Previous years had seen sharp decreases in abortions, leaving many people to ask, "Why has that trend apparently changed?"

There are several factors that may have contributed, but the largest single factor, and one we can't afford to ignore, was the increased activity of Planned Parenthood in our state.

Planned Parenthood opened an abortion facility in Bucks County, and the abortion number there then increased from 60 in 1999 to 685 in the year 2000. That 625-abortion increase in one county where Planned Parenthood expanded its work accounts for more than half of the total abortion increase for the entire state.

Planned Parenthood also operates abortion centers in Allegheny, Philadelphia, Chester, York, and Berks Counties. All of those counties except York saw an increase in abortions in 2000. The 61 counties where Planned Parenthood has no abortion facility saw a combined decrease of more than 200 abortions in the year 2000. Even two of the Philadelphia-area counties (Delaware and Montgomery) where Planned Parenthood has no abortion facility saw a decrease in abortions.

In fact, the total increase in abortions in the six counties where Planned Parenthood operates abortion facilities is 1,350, so the six counties where Planned Parenthood has the most influence more than account for the 1,138-abortion increase for the state as a whole.

A majority of the state's counties are still seeing the previous years' trend of a decreasing abortion rate.

The pro-life movement is continuing to do its job, and helping more women with crisis pregnancies than ever before. The state- funded program Project WIN helped nearly 11,000 women find life- affirming alternatives in 2000, and dozens of other privately funded agencies statewide helped thousands more through pregnancy, childbirth, and beginning to parent their babies. Were it not for such agencies, the abortion rate would be thousands higher than it is.

Since abortions increase where Planned Parenthood has abortion centers, it is time for the state government to re-evaluate its policy of giving our taxpayer dollars to them. That money would be better spent on programs that provide positive help to both the mother and her child--programs providing real alternatives.

Other Facts in the State Report

Even with the increase in the abortion rate, the year 2000 saw the third lowest abortion rate on record, showing the overall successes of the pro-life movement's efforts to provide and promote life-affirming alternatives.

The largest abortion age demographic is age 20-24, an age group that accounts for one-third of all abortions. This would suggest a greater need for alternatives to abortion on college campuses.

Involving parents in the lives of young people with unexpected pregnancies significantly increases the odds of the child not being aborted. This is evidenced by the fact that 2,030 18-year- olds, who don't need parental permission, had abortions in Pennsylvania in 2000, compared to only 946 17-year-olds, who have to have one parent's permission.

This trend of previous years continued: 84% of the abortions in the state are performed on unmarried women and girls....

Almost 45% of the abortions are repeat abortions, and more than 1,000 women had their fifth or more abortion in the state in 2000, showing that for many, abortion is a form of birth control.

Nearly 100 girls age 13 and under had abortions in 2000 in Pennsylvania. One wonders if the "abortion providers" did anything to report the statutory rape of these girls, or just took the money from the adult who brought them for the abortion and sent the girls home with them.

David Bunnell is education director of the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation and is currently raising support for missionary work with Global Missions Fellowship. He may be contacted through his web site at www.walk-of-faith.com.