Any time there’s a pro-life law, you can be sure pro-abortion activists will be on-hand to protest with vile and obnoxious signs; dramatic chanting of “abortion-on-demand without apology;” and their go-to symbol, a bloody clothes hanger. I witnessed this behavior firsthand when debates raged over pro-life legislation in Texas last summer.
It’s all a deplorable display. They’re willing to brazenly fight common-sense protections that ensure women’s health and safety. And they fiercely oppose any attempt to give women informed consent and true choice. Make no mistake; these individuals want absolutely nothing to stand in the way of abortion. And pro-life laws are proving to be their number one adversary.
How effective are pro-life laws at lowering the incidence of abortion? A study by Michael New, assistant professor at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, provides a meta-analysis of 20 years of abortion data compiled by the Guttmacher Institute and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. His research reveals that pro-life laws are reducing abortion rates. Here’s how:
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Public Funding Restrictions – Some states provide public
funding for abortions. In 15 out of 18 cases, abortion rates fell after
Medicaid funding was reduced. Specifically in the state of North
Carolina, there was not only a decrease in the abortion rate, but an
increase in the birthrate was observed months later. The findings
concluded that 37% of the women who would have otherwise had an abortion
carried their child to term when funding was not available.
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Parental Involvement Laws – Pro-abortion activists have
denounced laws involving parents, saying you can’t legislate good family
communication. Yet in 16 peer-reviewed studies there was a statistical
decline in the number of abortions of minors in states where these laws
were enacted. The difference ranged from 13% to as high as 42%.
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Informed Consent Laws – There are variations in how these
laws are enacted. Some require a counseling visit prior to an abortion;
others specify how information about development in the womb is
communicated. It’s estimated that viewing color photos of the unborn
baby’s development results in a 3% to 7% reduction in the abortion rate.
In-person counseling can reduce rates by as much as 12%.
Pro-life laws are proving that abortion-on-demand is NOT the solution women want or need. By offering women life-affirming alternatives, more mothers are realizing that they can choose life for their babies. And the exciting part is we’re at the cusp of seeing more fruit from our efforts. Over 220 pro-life laws have been passed at the state level since 2011. Imagine the lives we’ll see saved in the next 5 to 10 years.
This celebration comes with a caution however. The pro-aborts fight us tooth and nail every step of the way. One recent example is US Senate bill 1696 with the misleading name, “Women’s Health Protection Act.” This is radical pro-abortion legislation that’ll wipe out all pro-life laws ever passed by both the federal and state levels of government. This will leave women completely vulnerable to the abortion industry, without any protections or regulations. They’re determined to make abortion-on-demand the law of the land. Obviously, it’s our responsibility to make sure that doesn’t happen.
Take a stand by contacting your senators today and ask them to oppose Senate bill 1696. Let them know that pro-life laws are making a difference and saving lives.
Reprinted with permission from Life Issues Institute, INC.
Brad Mattes, Executive Director, Life Issues Institute via LifeSiteNews.com
