Washington - U.S. abortions increased by nearly 70,000 in three years, according to data compiled by a pro-abortion research organization, Guttmacher Institute. The increase, it says, reverses a 30-year decline.
Guttmacher’s latest Abortion Provider Census showed there were 8% more abortions in 2020 than in 2017. To put it into figures, a total of 930,160 unborn babies were aborted in 2020 compared to 862,320 abortions in 2017
“The loss of each of these children is incalculable,” Lila Rose, head of the pro-life group Live Action, tweeted in response to the report.
In women between the ages of 15 and 44, the abortion rate increased 7%, from 13.5 abortions per 1,000 women in 2017 to 14.4 per 1,000 women in 2020. The abortion ratio — the number of abortions per 100 pregnancies — increased 12%, from 18.4% in 2017 to 20.6% in 2020.
This means that, in 2020, roughly one in five unborn babies was aborted (this figure does not include miscarriages).
The institute, once associated with Planned Parenthood, collects data on abortions by contacting every known U.S. abortion provider every three years. It completed this most recent report in May, with data representing 1,687 facilities that provided abortions in 2019 or 2020.
The report comes as the Supreme Court prepares to issue a decision in the highly anticipated abortion case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. A leak in that case suggested that justices may overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 case that legalized abortion nationwide, when deciding Dobbs. If that happens, abortion legislation can be decided by each individual state.
Beginning in early May, vandalism attacks, such as graffiti, property damage, threats, and theft, against pro-life pregnancy centers, maternity homes, and other pro-life organizations were reported across the US in the wake of the leaked document.
Abortion supporters and groups have long criticized the Catholic Church’s teaching that abortion kills an unborn human person with inherent dignity and worth.
The Washington Times recently reported on an FBI investigation into a growing number of attacks targeting churches and pro-life pregnancy centers. FBI has also sought the public’s help in the investigations.
-CNA