Abortions
jump
in Illinois, especially in Chicago area
While no one was watching, the Illinois Department of Public Health
posted the latest abortion statistics for the year of 2008. Sadly, the
numbers establish an upward trend for Illinois abortions since the low
point of 2003, thus discounting the slight drop in 2007.
A total of 47,717 abortions were committed in Illinois in 2008, up 5.3%
from 45,298 in 2007. Abortions for Chicago area residents jumped at a
much higher rate, accounting for more than the statewide
increase.
Cook County abortions jumped by 3233 (14.5%) to a total of 25,529.
Abortions in some of the counties surrounding Cook, though much lower
totals, jumped by even higher percentages as follows:
Kane County -- up 38% -- from 832 to 1145
Will County -- up 22% -- from 953 to 1161
Kendall County -- up 73% -- from 112 to 194
In contrast, abortions held steady in three other Chicago area
counties: DuPage (-22), Lake (+8), and McHenry (-2). For the four
counties with substantial increases in abortions, the total increase
reaches 3836 more abortions. For the entire state, abortions
increased
by 2419. Thus, abortions throughout all of Illinois outside of
those
four counties actually fell by 2.9%.
What might account for this rather localized increase in
abortions.
Could this primarily be the impact of Planned Parenthood's huge
abortion fortress in Aurora? What actions spared DuPage, Lake,
and
McHenry counties from participating in these large abortion
increases?
About the only good news from the 2008 statistics was the drop from
4042 to 3903 for abortions committed on out-of-state residents.
Interestingly, the number of abortions on women of unknown residency
dropped from 1965 to 1111. Since some of these cases could also
have
been out-of-state residents, the drop might be even larger.
Even so,
these numbers still represent many underage girls who enter Illinois to
avoid parental involvement laws in other states.
The unknown residency statistic jumped from only 114 in 2004 to 1683 in
2005, and peaked at 2115 in 2006, possibly reflecting concern about
potential enforcement of parental notification. Is the 2008 drop
an
indication abortion providers have become convinced it will never be
enforced?
Contact: Bill
Beckman
Source:
Illinois Review
Publish
Date:
December 8, 2009
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The IFRL is the largest grassroots pro-life organization in
Illinois. A non-profit organization, that serves as the state
coordinating body for local pro-life chapters representing thousands of
Illinois citizens working to restore respect for all human life in our
society. The IFRL is composed of people of different political
persuasions, various faiths and diverse economic, social and ethnic
backgrounds. Since 1973 the Illinois Federation for Right to Life has
been working to end abortion and restore legal protection to those members of the
human family who are threatened by abortion, infanticide and euthanasia. Diverse though we are, we hold one common belief - that
every human being has an inalienable right to life that is precious and must be protected. IFRL is
dedicated to restoring the right to life to the unborn, and protection
for the disabled and the elderly. Click here to learn more about the IFRL.