Statistics released Monday by the Minnesota Department of Health reveal that abortions in the state declined by two percent in 2018. There were 9,910 abortions committed in Minnesota in 2018, a number down from 10,134 in 2017. This was the third-lowest total since 1974. However, despite the fact that fewer women are getting abortions, the state saw an eight percent increase in the number of nonresidents who traveled to the state for an abortion.
The increase in out-of-staters traveling there for abortions may be due to the rise in pro-life laws in surrounding states. For instance, South Dakota residents must undergo a 72-hour waiting period before getting an abortion, while Iowa and Wisconsin forbid abortions after 20 weeks.
READ: As overall Minnesota abortion numbers drop, taxpayers foot a larger portion of the bill
Pro-life laws are making a difference
While the number of nonresidents viewing the state as an abortion destination is concerning, pro-life group Minnesota Concerned Citizens for Life (MCCL) credits Minnesota’s own pro-life laws with helping to lower the number of abortions in the state. For instance, the state’s parental notification law has resulted in a drastic reduction in abortions since its 1981 implementation, with 2,327 minors receiving abortions in 1981 and 221 receiving abortions in 2018 — a 90% decrease.
In 2018, 12,408 women received the Women’s Right to Know informed consent information given to every woman considering abortion. This means that nearly 2,500 women opted against the procedure after learning about its risks and alternatives — meaning around 18 percent changed their minds because of this pro-life law. Altogether, abortions in the state have dropped 48 percent since 1980, and 23 percent since 2008.
While MN’s totals drop, Planned Parenthood captures more of the market, increasing its own abortions
In a press release regarding the statistics, MCCL noted that despite the drop, abortions at Planned Parenthood have continued to rise. According to the organization’s Minnesota annual reports, its abortion total has jumped 44 percent since 2013 while its contraception services have dropped 83 percent and its cancer screening services have dropped 56 percent. In 2018, the group committed a record-high 63 percent of all abortions. These statistics clearly indicate that the corporation’s business model relies heavily on abortion.
“Planned Parenthood is in the business of ending human lives before they are born,” said Scott Fischbach, executive director of the MCCL. “That’s what they do. They dominate the market and push their abortion numbers higher and higher.”
Lawsuit targeting pro-life laws could undo progress
MCCL is concerned about a pending lawsuit, which it says would overturn all the state’s abortion laws. If the suit is successful, there would undoubtedly be an increase in abortions committed in the state.
“Pregnancy support, ultrasound images, public education, and Minnesota’s pro-life laws continue to empower women and save unborn lives,” says Fischbach. “But most of our commonsense abortion-reducing laws would be eliminated if the current lawsuit is successful.”
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