The Stats + You

We have some celebrating to do, both on a national and state level! The abortion statistics are revealing rates are in fact still dropping! The efforts of many people, groups, and systems have made a dent in the abortion numbers.

Between 2011 and 2012, abortion rates dropped to 13.2 abortions per 1000 women of childbearing age. That is a 5% decrease on a national scale! Of those who find themselves in unintended pregnancy situations, 60% are choosing life!

Abortion clinics by and large are closing their doors as well. Recently Planned Parenthood of Appleton closed down after "Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin determined its Appleton North facility would not be able to meet the 'more stringent and scrutinized approach' needed for [security] after the Colorado attack, said chief operating office Chris Williams."

Last October, PP of Appleton temporarily disrupted abortion services due to staff shortages.

This leaves abortion access greatly restricted in Wisconsin, with now six clinics (five of which did not provide chemical or surgical abortions) that have shut their doors since Governor Walker stripped funding in 2011.

So let's take a look at the state stats, and see just how much work we still have to go:

In 2014, 5,640 abortions obtained by Wisconsin residents in the state. In 2015, that number is down 3% to 5,461.

The resident induced abortion ratio reported 21 per 100 live births in 2012, 9.5 to 100 live births in 2014, and finally 9.1 per 100 live births in 2015.

43% of the 2015 reported abortions were obtained within 8 weeks of gestation.

In 2015, chemical abortion accounted for 21% of the totals obtained, while 79% abortions accounted for were surgical. This is a shift in numbers from the year prior, showing that chemical abortions are on the rise by 2%.

Totals are decreasing across the board, but there are some shifts in statistics that aren't as favorable, such as an increase in the number of minors obtaining abortions per 1,000 woman 15-17 years old in 2015. Minors in the state of Wisconsin, by law, must have a guardian consent to her abortion. Exceptions include: in the result of sexual assault, medical emergency, or sexual intercourse with a caregiver.

Another increase in rate per 1,000 woman in a specific age group was noted in those obtaining abortions who are 30 to 34 years.

A final increase, one that might seem more disappointing than encouraging for us in Central Wisconsin, was the increase in both Portage and Wood Counties rate of abortion per 1,000 women ages 15-44 (based on population reports for 2014).

So what do all these statistics mean?

It means we can take a couple minutes to praise our great Lord for the shifting and changing in favor of life! He, the author of life, is glorified through every birth and bright future!

But in the next moment, we must find ourselves on our knees again, praying to determine what part we can play as individuals, as a families, and as corporate bodies in pro-life groups, congregations, and businesses, to help fix the many, many broken systems that fuel abortion across our Great Nation.

Keep seeking Him, and He will nudge your heart, for we ALL play a part. Maybe it's volunteering at a homeless shelter or food pantry bringing hope to the hopeless, a smile to light up the darkness. Perhaps it's helping a youth group at your local church reach new youth and young adults, inspiring them with God's gifts and plans. It might just be changing the way your business looks at family life and paid maternity leave.

Wherever the Lord leads you, your part is integral to changing the culture of unplanned pregnancy, relationships, and life.

If you need a starting place, feel free to contact First Choice. We are doing our part to transform the culture surrounding unplanned pregnancy by providing hope, encouragement, and education. In provision of these three things, we are portraying a vision and future in favor of all lives supported emotionally, physically, and spiritually.

We would love to have you part of the team!

In closing, there's many more statistics that have been broken down in recent reports. To see them, and where I retrieved the ones from above, please take a look at these links: