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NRL News
Planned
Parenthood Continues to Dominate Abortion in Minnesota After a steady decline that with very few exceptions stretches back to 1987, latest figures from the Minnesota Department of Health show the greatest one-year increase in abortions performed on minors in Minnesota. While the number of abortions overall increased more than 5% (from 13,362 to 14,065), the jump for teenagers from 2005 to 2006 was a menacing 16%, according to the annual abortion report released in July. The one good piece of news is that 652 women decided not to abort their babies after receiving information required under Minnesota’s 2003 Woman’s Right to Know law. The spike in the number of abortions was no accident, according to Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life (MCCL). The increase occurred the same year Planned Parenthood of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota opened two suburban “express” mall stores targeting young women with scented oils, candles, and referrals to its St. Paul abortion center. “The huge jump in minor abortions is deeply disturbing to parents, families, and teenagers—but it was a predictable result of Planned Parenthood’s increased promotion of abortion,” said Scott Fischbach, executive director of MCCL. “Planned Parenthood has learned how to take advantage of teenagers and young women by marketing its brand and building relationships to create future abortion customers.” Fischbach said that for Planned Parenthood, “abortion isn’t just a morally acceptable ‘choice’ and a constitutional right to be patriotically exercised—it’s a business practice.” He added, “That’s why it opposes even common sense, bipartisan legislation—like the woman’s right to know law, which provides women with basic factual information prior to undergoing an abortion.” PPFA not only aborted more unborn babies than any other abortion provider for the third year in a row, it also increased its abortion business by 21%. Abortions rose by 703 in Minnesota last year; Planned Parenthood accounted for almost all of the increase, aborting an additional 648 unborn babies. In 2005 Planned Parenthood performed 56 abortions each week. In 2006, Planned Parenthood performed 70 abortions each week. Put another way, PPFA performs 26% of all abortions in Minnesota. According to MCCL’s explanation of the Minnesota Department of Health report, • The seven abortion clinics in the state performed 99% of all abortions.
• The reasons women gave for their abortions (more than one
reason could be given): • Moreover, 41% (5,841) of the women who received an abortion had at least one prior abortion. In addition, 139 women reported they had had 6 or more prior abortions. Minnesota’s 2003 Woman’s Right to Know law requires that all women considering abortion be given information about abortion risks, complications, and alternatives; the gestational age of their unborn child; fetal pain information; and other materials. Last year, 652 women decided not to abort their babies after receiving this information. “Planned Parenthood’s dedication to promoting abortion has reversed a life-affirming trend in Minnesota,” Fischbach said. “Planned Parenthood’s spokes-persons say publicly that they want to decrease abortions, but when they sell 21% more abortions in a single year, no one can believe them anymore.” |