Working in the prolife movement can be overwhelming and seem daunting at times. After all, 3,000 babies are being aborted each day. However, there is progress being made every day. The abortion rate is declining, abortion clinics are closing, and abortion providers are quitting.
According to a new report from Bloomberg Business, 162 abortion providers have stopped offering abortions since 2011 while only 21 new clinics have opened. Michigan led this with one of the largest drops in abortion providers. Since 2011 15 out of the state’s 34 surgical abortion clinics have closed.
This week will be the last week that nearby South Bend, Indiana, has an abortion clinic. After numerous violations—including failing to report statutory rape—the abortionist is facing the loss of his medical license.
Why is there this large decrease in abortion providers?
One of the reasons outlined in the report is because of prolife legislation passed. Many states have passed prolife legislation in the past few years. Michigan saw a decline after we updated our state’s health and safety regulations in 2012. These laws hold abortion clinics up to the same standards as other outpatient health facilities.
Abortions have been declining as well. Abortions are down 34 percent since their national high in 1990 and in Michigan they are down 43.7 percent since 1987. Overall, abortions are at the lowest level since 1975 according to the Guttmacher Institute. Comparing 3,000 deaths from abortion today, to 4,400 abortions every day in 1990, that’s progress!
Planned Parenthood has been consolidating clinics and building mega health centers. They are able to do this in part from taxpayer funding. Smaller, independent clinics don’t receive this funding and some aren’t able to compete with Planned Parenthood.
The younger generations have proven to be more prolife than their parents or grandparents. This means that the Roe v. Wade generation is aging and they aren’t able to find young doctors to champion their cause of tearing apart tiny unborn humans.
Sometimes the hard work that we put into the prolife movement seems futile. However, this new report shows that it is not. In the past four years we have seen major changes in the abortion industry and this is due to the diligence, activism, and support of our grassroots prolife volunteers.
Let this encourage you and remember: it’s all about the baby steps.
