The Religious Consultation
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Associated Press, May 27, 2005 Wisconsin's abortion
rate seen as lowest ever recorded For the first time, the three key measures of Wisconsin's abortion rate were all at the lowest level last year since the state started tracking the procedure in 1974, a new report says. The figures from the state Department of Health and Family Services show: -There were 9,943 abortions in the state in 2004, or less than half the record number of 21,754 in 1980. -The rate of 14 abortions per 100 live births in 2004 was less than half of the ratio of 29 abortions per 100 live births in 1980. -The rate of nine abortions per 1,000 Wisconsin women ages 15 to 44 in 2004 was less than half of the rate of 20 in 1980. The rate first fell to nine in 1999, rose to 10 in 2000, and has been nine in each year since. Both sides in the debate over legal abortions said the decrease was good news, but they differed over possible reasons. "We are just absolutely elated that (abortions) continue to go down," said Barbara Lyons, executive director of Wisconsin Right to Life. "We all share the common goal of reducing unintended pregnancy and incidence of abortions," said Lisa Boyce, spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin. "We feel that the reduction in abortions can be directly attributed to improved access to birth control and responsible sex education," she said. Another possible factor, Boyce said, is the introduction in recent years of dozens of contraception options. Lyons cited three factors, including an increase in "pro-life" young people, anti-abortion TV commercials stressing that having a child won't ruin a young woman's life and a 1998 law that set a 24-hour waiting period to get an abortion. --- Information from: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, http://www.jsonline.com << Associated Press -- 5/27/05 >>
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