Regarding "Abortion rate in Texas lowest since 1970s", the article cites a 17% decrease in Texas abortions from 2008 to 2011 and quotes Rachel Jones, "the lead author of the study by Guttmacher, a research organization that supports abortion rights", who trumpets the decline as "steep".
The reality is far different: First of all, a decline from 14.9 to 13.5 abortions per thousand women is a reduction of 9%, not 17% as quoted in the article. Second, the statistics supporting the supposed rate of decline can be largely explained by the growth of the Latino population in Texas during that period, and the fact that Latino women are considerably less likely to pursue abortions than non-Hispanic white or black women. A review of census data shows the Latino population growing from 36% of all Texans in 2008 to almost 40% in 2011. The Guttmacher Institute itself cites data showing that nationwide "Non-Hispanic white women account for 36% of abortions, non-Hispanic black women for 30%, Hispanic women for 25% and women of other races for 9%."
If you take the demographics into account, you could argue that birth control has had very little effect in reducing the overall abortion rate. Hopefully, an honest appraisal of the facts will force a long-overdue conversation about the best means to prevent unwanted pregnancy.
Pete Smith
Cypress, TX
No comments:
Post a Comment
Friends - Let 'er rip!