The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services has just issued its 2009 Statistical Report of Abortions. Nebraska law (28-343) requires that certain information be collected on each abortion performed in the state including the pregnant woman’s age, the state of her residence, her history of previous pregnancies, the type of abortion performed and complications.
According to this report, in 2009 there were 2,551 unborn babies killed by abortion in Nebraska. This sobering number of abortions is mitigated only by the fact that it is 10 percent fewer than in 2008.
Since the high water mark of 6,346 abortions in 1990, there has been a decidedly downward trend in the number of abortions in Nebraska. In 2007, the number of abortions fell to its lowest number on record, 2,481, representing a more than 60 percent decline from 1990.
In 2008, there was a surprising and disturbing increase of 13 percent in the number of abortions (2,813). Thankfully, this was largely reversed in 2009 with a 10 percent decline in abortions.
As has been the case since the abortion report began in 1974, the majority of abortions in 2009 (57.2%) were performed on women in the 20-29 age group. The 19-and-under age group and the 30-and-over age group have changed significantly since 1974.
In 1974, teenagers comprised slightly more than 40 percent of the abortions. In 2009 they comprised 16.3 percent. In 1974, the 30-and-over age group comprised 14.5 percent of abortions and in 2009 they comprised 26.5 percent.
Digging deeper into the age statistics one finds some very disturbing information. Ten abortions were performed on girls under the age of 15. One 15-year-old girl already had one previous abortion. Four 16-year-old girls had already given birth to one child before having this abortion. And one 17-year-old girl had one previous abortion and two live births.
The destructive start to these young girls’ lives is heartbreaking. And for all of these young girls, especially the 17-year old, it is hard not to conclude that they are victims of some form of abuse or neglect.
The report also indicates the reasons women gave for having the abortions. Another consistent statistic from year to year is that only a tiny fraction of abortions are sought for the so-called “hard cases.” In 2009, only 80 abortions (3.1%) were done for the following reasons: sexual assault (11), incest (0), maternal life endangered (3), maternal physical health (33), mental health (7), fetal anomaly (26).
Another particularly sad statistic from this report is the number of repeat abortions. The overall percentage of repeat abortions stays pretty constant each year at around one-third of all abortions. Again, a closer look at this statistic reveals some very disturbing information.
Of the 822 women who had previous abortions, 576 had one previous abortion, 168 had two previous abortions, 50 had three previous abortions, 16 had four previous abortions and 12 had more than four previous abortions.
It is impossible to contemplate the level of grief a mother must feel after having one abortion, let alone after having multiple abortions. Thankfully, we serve a God whose mercy and love are limitless to those who seek it. And, thankfully, we have Project Rachel which helps post-abortive women and men to find hope and healing through God’s mercy and love.
Finally, to achieve our goal of making abortion unthinkable, we must always recognize and internalize that the statistics in this abortion report represent real human lives. The lives of 2,551 unborn children snuffed out by abortion. The lives of more than 5,000 mothers and fathers devastated emotionally and spiritually. And the conscience of a nation hardened by acquiescence or ambivalence to this legalized slaughter of the innocents.
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