Making abortion rare. Reducing the number of abortions.

A thread by Andy Rowell

As study after global study has shown, "pro-life" limiting access to abortion is not a significant factor in reducing the number of abortions.

The main factor that reduces the number of abortions is making contraceptives easily accessible, which often "pro-life" people oppose.

kate shellnutt@kateshellnutt

The abortion rate dropped in Ohio by 27% and in Texas by 30%, and by similar amounts in states that protected abortion access, including California, Hawaii and New Hampshire https://apnews.com/7e45fe6f70cf45f1823a45ef9ad2187c …

Number of abortions in US falls to lowest since 1973

NEW YORK (AP) — The number and rate of abortions across the United States have plunged to their lowest levels since the procedure became legal nationwide in 1973, according to new figures released…

apnews.com

5

9:48 AM – Sep 18, 2019

Twitter Ads info and privacy

See kate shellnutt's other Tweets

Andy Rowell@AndyRowell

· Aug 15, 2019

Replying to @AndyRowell

Rev. A.J. Dudek "If Donald Trump will help save a couple million babies, that's a good thing. My vote has to align with my view of God's word — I should care for the baby in the womb." Likely, millions more abortions occurred in the United States because Trump was elected.

Andy Rowell@AndyRowell

"increasing access to highly effective methods of contraception (and thus preventing unintended pregnancies) is a more effective way to reduce abortion rates" [than restricting access to contraception]. https://www.brookings.edu/blog/up-front/2019/07/29/reducing-access-to-contraception-wont-reduce-the-abortion-rate/ …

Reducing access to contraception won’t reduce the abortion rate

Increasing access to highly effective methods of contraception (and thus preventing unintended pregnancies) is a more effective way to reduce abortion rates.

brookings.edu

5:34 PM – Aug 15, 2019

Twitter Ads info and privacy

See Andy Rowell's other Tweets

"1.4 percent of all abortions came after 21 weeks …
None of these Democrats [candidates for president] is explicitly saying, 'I support allowing third-trimester [28-40 weeks] abortions' — and, in fact, they seem to be trying hard to avoid doing so." (washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/…)

Reference:
Blake, Aaron. "Democrats’ leftward shift on third-trimester abortion." The Washington Post (Online), Sep 11 2019. This is also correct.

Daniel Grossman:
“Not all restrictions on abortion are the same — some create a minor obstacle that most patients overcome, while others result in the closure of large-volume providers, making it impossible for some to access care.”

Reference:
Belluck, Pam. "America’s Abortion Rate Has Dropped to Its Lowest Ever." New York Times (Online), Sep 18 2019. "43 states prohibit some abortions after a certain point in pregnancy.
– 22 states ban abortion between 13 and 24 weeks LMP (Last menstrual period).
– 20 states impose a ban at 24-28 weeks .
– 1 state imposes a ban … 25 weeks LMP onward" (guttmacher.org/state-policy/e…)

There is a some consensus about late term abortion:
– 43 of 50 states ban abortion between 13-25 weeks.
– Only 1.3% of abortions occur after 21 weeks.
– Third trimester abortion would be (28-40 weeks).
– Democratic presidential candidates are talking in generalities. See also:

for an argument that pro-life persuasion regarding the immorality of abortion and pro-life restrictions have reduced US abortion rate. But I am thinking about rates of abortion in different countries and the main factor is contraceptive access.