WISCONSIN ABORTION NUMBERS TAKE ANOTHER DIVE.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)

Saving babies from abortion and helping their mothers escape a lifetime of emotional pain - - this is the foundation upon which the pro-life movement is built. In Wisconsin, decades worth of patient work is being rewarded - - and in a big way - - as abortion numbers continue to plummet!

The dramatic decline in Wisconsin abortions began after the peak year of 1980, when 21,754 abortions were performed. Recently released figures reveal that Wisconsin abortions numbered 10,925 in 2001, a spectacular 50% decline from 1980.

Looking at the numbers in a different way, there were 20 abortions for every 1,000 women of childbearing age (ages 15-44) in 1980, compared to 9 abortions for every 1,000 women of childbearing age in 2001. Between 1980 and 2001, there were only three years when abortions increased.

Driving the numbers in Wisconsin, as in some other parts of the country, is the high number of African American women obtaining abortions. In 1987, African American women accounted for 16% of total abortions.

In 2001, these women procured 24% of all abortions. Wisconsin experienced a small decrease in African American abortions between 2000 and 2001. It is clear that dramatic lifesaving gains can be achieved by concentrating future efforts in the African American community in southeastern Wisconsin.

Other key demographics indicate that over 70% of women obtaining abortions in 2001 were not married, compared to 1987 when 85% of aborting women were unmarried. Also, women appear to be obtaining abortions at a slightly older age, in the 20-24 age range.

Wisconsin began tracking chemical abortions in 2000, when the RU486 two-drug abortion procedure became available late in that year. In 2000, there were 136 chemical abortions compared to 497 in 2001.