Who is Getting an Abortion? Debunking a Common Held Myth

Who is Getting an Abortion?  Debunking a Common Held Myth

El Schader, Creative Editor

When Pro – Life advocates characterize those who chose abortion, they often use the image of a woman who “sleeps around” and uses abortion as her primary method of birth control. But this is not at all factual. Stats show that: 

60% of people who get abortions are already parents. This undermines the argument that people who chose abortion don’t value children and family life. In fact, it shows that they want to continue to be able to provide for the children they already have.  

58% of women who get an abortion have never had one before. This is important to think about when the argument of using termination as birth control comes up. 

About half of the women getting abortions are below the poverty line. Raising children in America is an expensive endeavor and finances must be considered. It is also important to acknowledge that pregnancy itself is not cheap (especially without insurance) and is emotionally and physically taxing.

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This is the Typical Abortion Patient:

She is already a mother.

She is in her late 20s.

She has attended at least some college.

She has a low income.

She is unmarried.

She is in her first six weeks of pregnancy.

She is having her first abortion.

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These are important facts that anti-abortion advocates must consider.  Everybody on both sides has somebody in mind when they think about people getting abortion. I think in heated debate is important to look at facts and remember that abortion isn’t an abstract issue– it involves real women with their own individual stories and situations.

Questions to ask Yourself:

Why is financial struggles such an issue?

Why do people jump to worse case scenarios?

What averages surprise you?