Pro-life official praises decline in U.S. abortion rate

Published: 2008-01-18

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- A study showing that abortion rates in the United States have fallen to their lowest level in nearly 30 years is good news for a pro-life official who attributes the decrease to changing attitudes. "I am not surprised that the number and rate of abortions is falling steadily," said Deirdre McQuade, director of planning and information for the bishops' Office of Pro-Life Activities, who credits the shift in part to recent debates about partial-birth abortion which have increased public awareness about abortions. She said she was confident abortions would continue to decrease in the United States as more information about abortions was made available to the general public, support networks expanded for expectant parents in crisis, people sought healing from past abortions and adoption was "treated as a courageous choice for birth mothers." The number of abortions declined to 1.2 million in 2005, a figure that is 25 percent below the 1.6 million abortions in 1990 and is the lowest level reported since 1.179 million in 1976, according to a study released Jan. 17 by the Guttmacher Institute, a Planned Parenthood affiliate based in New York.

Copyright (c) 2008 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .