On January 25, 2012, the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) released Michigan’s 2010 abortion statistics. The report relays that a total of 23,307 induced abortions were reported in Michigan in 2010, which was a 4.25 percent increase from the total of 22,357 reported abortions in 2009, but a 52.5 percent decrease since 1987 (the year with the largest number of induced abortions). While reported abortions increased in 2010, 23,307 abortions is still the second-lowest annual total since the state of Michigan began requiring abortion reports in 1979. Michigan’s abortion rate and abortion ratio are still far below national averages despite our state’s difficult economic times.
Here are a few noteworthy statistics from the report:
Repeat abortions: More than half of the women (50.3 percent) having an abortion in 2010 were having a repeat abortion. Nearly a quarter (24.2 percent) of women who aborted had at least two previous abortions. For residents of Wayne County, 61 percent of women were having a repeat abortion and 33 percent had at least two previous abortions.
Race: Black women continue to have a disproportionate number of abortions. According to estimates from the U.S. Census web site, black women compose about 15 percent of Michigan’s female population, but the MDCH report notes black women had 44 percent of the state’s abortions in 2010. White women compose about 80 percent of the state’s female population and had 49.6 percent of Michigan’s abortions.
Teen abortions continue to decrease: The number of abortions performed on women younger than 20 decreased 3.4 percent to 3,964. This is the lowest number ever for this category and an incredible 71 percent decrease since 1987 when 13,624 women under 20 had abortions. The number of abortions performed on minors also decreased 4 percent to 1,410.
Post first trimester abortions: A total of 2,813 abortions were performed after 12 weeks of pregnancy and 20 abortions were performed after the 24th week of pregnancy.
Location: The vast majority of abortions are provided by abortion clinics. Only 37 abortions took place at hospitals in 2010.
Right to Life of Michigan will continue to reach out to women in need so they know abortion is not their only option. There are far too many women who enter an abortion clinic thinking abortion is the only choice for them. Thinking abortion is your only choice is equivalent to having no choice at all. To learn more about these statistics, visit Right to Life of Michigan at www.rtl.org.
