2. Are Contraception, Abortifacients, and “Self-Managed” Abortions reducing abortion numbers?
As we have seen, the numbers of abortions, and the ratios of abortions to births, have been falling since the mid-1980s.
Many people say that this is so because more people are using contraception, and more are using more effective contraception. So researchers at the Guttmacher Institute, the research affiliate of Planned Parenthood, claimed that “improvements in contraceptive use and increases in the number of individuals relying on self-managed abortions outside of a clinical setting” were responsible for the decline in abortion numbers from 2014 to 2017.[1]
Now we could approach the question of the role of contraception by looking at the proportion of the population using contraceptives from one point in time to another, to see if their increased use explained the decline in abortion ratios. We could look at the real-world failure rates of contraceptives, which are much higher than the clinical studies show. The evidence found in this approach indicates that, if anything, contraception is playing a minor role in the dropping abortion numbers, and may actually be increasing the number of unexpected pregnancies.
Instead, we’ll just ask a simple question: if increased contraception reduced abortions, then wouldn’t we see, over time, fewer unintended pregnancies, and unintended births?
Let’s look at that chart using data from the CDC again. . . .
Many people say that this is so because more people are using contraception, and more are using more effective contraception. So researchers at the Guttmacher Institute, the research affiliate of Planned Parenthood, claimed that “improvements in contraceptive use and increases in the number of individuals relying on self-managed abortions outside of a clinical setting” were responsible for the decline in abortion numbers from 2014 to 2017.[1]
Now we could approach the question of the role of contraception by looking at the proportion of the population using contraceptives from one point in time to another, to see if their increased use explained the decline in abortion ratios. We could look at the real-world failure rates of contraceptives, which are much higher than the clinical studies show. The evidence found in this approach indicates that, if anything, contraception is playing a minor role in the dropping abortion numbers, and may actually be increasing the number of unexpected pregnancies.
Instead, we’ll just ask a simple question: if increased contraception reduced abortions, then wouldn’t we see, over time, fewer unintended pregnancies, and unintended births?
Let’s look at that chart using data from the CDC again. . . .
The shorter line above the ratio line shows what we would expect to see for two years, 1994 and 2004, if contraceptives reduced unwanted pregnancies in proportion to the decrease in the abortion ratio. We would see a line from 48 percent – the number of unplanned pregnancies in 1994 – to 35.5 percent in 2004. More women out of all pregnant women would be having the babies that they intended to have; fewer women would be having an unexpected child.
So what happened, in reality?
So what happened, in reality?
The number of unintended pregnancies actually rose slightly. . . .
This means that more women who didn’t expect or intend to become pregnant, decided to choose life.
We see the same things when we look at studies of unintended births. . . .
This means that more women who didn’t expect or intend to become pregnant, decided to choose life.
We see the same things when we look at studies of unintended births. . . .
We can see that, in the sixteen years from 1995 to 2011, births from unintended pregnancies rose 6.5 percent.
In short, contraception use has not reduced abortion ratios.
Some would say that the morning-after pill, which causes an early abortion, is responsible for the dropping number of recorded abortions, and that so-called “self-managed” abortions are hiding the real number of abortions, too. The same argument that we have applied to contraception can be applied here. Why would the number of unintended births go up at any time, if women in any great number were resorting to the morning after pill, or to “self-managed” abortion?
In short, contraception use has not reduced abortion ratios.
Some would say that the morning-after pill, which causes an early abortion, is responsible for the dropping number of recorded abortions, and that so-called “self-managed” abortions are hiding the real number of abortions, too. The same argument that we have applied to contraception can be applied here. Why would the number of unintended births go up at any time, if women in any great number were resorting to the morning after pill, or to “self-managed” abortion?
A quick look back at the chart showing the declining abortion ratios shows no sudden drop after the widespread introduction of so-called “emergency contraception,” that is, the morning-after pill. The numbers were falling at a fairly consistent rate, and continued to do so afterwards.
The “self-managed” abortion is essentially the abortion pill, or pills, sold illegally on the Internet and delivered to a woman’s door. It is unlikely that women in any great number are turning to illegal abortion at this point. In 2019, researchers at the Guttmacher Institute reversed the earlier claim, and said that “it is unlikely that self-managed abortion was a primary driver of the national abortion declines, even in Guttmacher’s most recent survey period from 2014 to 2017.”[2]
When actual unintended pregnancies increase, while abortion ratios fall, more women with unintended pregnancies are rejecting abortion. Contraception and abortifacients have no role here.
Those who promote contraception to reduce abortions generally have a simple, amoral view of women: if they get pregnant using contraception, of course they would want an abortion. They assume that unintended or unexpected pregnancy equals a simple demand for abortion, as though the moral nature of abortion doesn’t cross the minds of women. The facts contradict this simple view. In reality, people involved in pregnancy help know that women thinking about abortion are usually conflicted. Most women are troubled to one degree or another. They don’t want to have an abortion. They feel they have no choice.
The “self-managed” abortion is essentially the abortion pill, or pills, sold illegally on the Internet and delivered to a woman’s door. It is unlikely that women in any great number are turning to illegal abortion at this point. In 2019, researchers at the Guttmacher Institute reversed the earlier claim, and said that “it is unlikely that self-managed abortion was a primary driver of the national abortion declines, even in Guttmacher’s most recent survey period from 2014 to 2017.”[2]
When actual unintended pregnancies increase, while abortion ratios fall, more women with unintended pregnancies are rejecting abortion. Contraception and abortifacients have no role here.
Those who promote contraception to reduce abortions generally have a simple, amoral view of women: if they get pregnant using contraception, of course they would want an abortion. They assume that unintended or unexpected pregnancy equals a simple demand for abortion, as though the moral nature of abortion doesn’t cross the minds of women. The facts contradict this simple view. In reality, people involved in pregnancy help know that women thinking about abortion are usually conflicted. Most women are troubled to one degree or another. They don’t want to have an abortion. They feel they have no choice.
The centers show them that they do have options, which many of them take up. They choose life because they get that help. It was this which has driven abortion ratios down. Advertising pregnancy help increases its effect.
[1] https://www.guttmacher.org/report/abortion-incidence-service-availability-us-2017
[2] https://www.guttmacher.org/article/2019/11/self-managed-abortion-may-be-rise-probably-not-significant-driver-overall-decline
[1] https://www.guttmacher.org/report/abortion-incidence-service-availability-us-2017
[2] https://www.guttmacher.org/article/2019/11/self-managed-abortion-may-be-rise-probably-not-significant-driver-overall-decline