New Study: Top Reason for Women's Abortions is No Supportive Partner, Father

Life News ^ | 1/16/09 | Wanda Franz, Ph.D.

[wagglebee]

LifeNews.com Note: Dr. Wanda Franz is the president of the National Right to Life Committee and a former professor of clinical psychology at West Virginia University.

The pro-life movement in this country has been very successful in reducing the numbers of abortions and the abortion rate (the number of abortions per 1,000 women of child-bearing age). In 2005, the abortion rate was down 33% from its peak in 1980/81, the same level it had been in 1974.

If the abortion rate had not decreased from its peak value in 1980/81, but simply stayed the same, there would have been 50% more abortions in 2005: 1.8 million, instead of the actual 1.2 million.

This decrease in abortion has been greatest among adolescents and young people.

While abortions have decreased in women having their first pregnancy, the number of repeat abortions has increased. Today, 47% of all abortions are obtained by women who have already had at least one previous abortion.

In addition, most abortions occur now in the group of women who already have one living child. Thus, the demographics of abortion are changing. Today, the women, who are in need of pro-life support, are often those with families. No research has been done on this population group, until now.

A new study by Priscilla Coleman and colleagues has been published in the International Journal of Mental Health Addiction. This study uses data from the Fragile Families and Well-Being Study.

The sample was drawn from hospitals in 16 cities around the country, which had high numbers of unmarried births. The final sample consisted of families with one child. The mothers then either aborted or gave birth to a subsequent child.

The family characteristics indicated that the families met the requirement of being fragile: 87% were not married, 41% had less than a high school education, and 32% had an annual income under $15,000. Racial breakdown was 24% white, 56% black, 15% Hispanic, 1% Asian and 4% American Indian.

The ages of the participants fell into the age range when most abortions now occur, that is, 64% were between 20 and 29 years of age.

In this sample, 76.9% of the women with a subsequent pregnancy reported that the same man fathered both the first and second pregnancy. This is a surprisingly high level of stability, given the fragility of the family unit.

This study looked at the reasons women chose childbirth or abortion for their subsequent pregnancy. It is unique, in that, it examined the decision-making process in the context of the relationship with the father of the child. No other research on abortion decision-making has taken the family context into account.

This is an especially important issue for our future consideration, since so many abortions are currently performed on women with other living children, implying the presence of the father of the children.

The results of the study indicated that the most important factors in determining the women's choice to abort a second pregnancy were those associated with the father's inability or unwillingness to provide assistance in rearing the first child.

Women were significantly more likely to abort if they reported that the father of the child cannot be trusted to "watch the child for a week," "take good care of the child," "watch the child when the mothers needs to do things," "does not support the mother's way of raising the child," "does not respect the schedule and rules" for the child, etc.

In addition, it was found that mothers who were married to the father were significantly more likely to deliver the baby.

What is especially interesting are the variables that did not appear to influence the choice of abortion vs. delivery.

For example, the difficulty of raising the child, based on poor temperament of the child or the need for frequent medical intervention, did not affect the choice to abort. In addition, financial considerations were not important in the decision.

Employment and income did not predict the decision to abort. Surprisingly, aggression directed toward the mother by the father was not a factor in the choice to abort.

On the other hand, women who chose to abort the second baby, demonstrated more substance abuse following the abortion; and they were more apt to be physically abused by the father.

The results of this study are counter to the prevailing opinion that women abort because of poverty and financial considerations. Instead, these mothers were more apt to make the decision based on whether or not they would be supported in their role as a mother by a father who had already demonstrated an ability to care for one of his children.

Furthermore, marriage was a protective factor in determining the parents' decision to keep and raise their child.

This study supports the idea that abortion occurs in the context of a family. It requires both a committed mother and father to assure the choice to deliver and care for a child. Fathers are, not only important, but possibly decisive in the choice to have an abortion.

[donna]

I was just providing some balance.

The fact is that men are the leaders. They could solve this mess; but, they like it as is it.

[MrB]

As Ann Coulter says,

the biggest supporters of “abortion rights” are men aged 18 through their late 20’s.

Yeah, they’re really into “women’s rights” I bet.

[fleagle]

There’s also nothing empowering about a woman having sex with a man she doesn’t know or trust.

You are right. In attempting to be somehow "progressive" we've stripped the fundamental soundness from our social structure and, in doing so, have created a generation(s) of people who behave recklessly, without restraint or respect for themselves or others, creating broken homes and broken people.

[FRGOPPER]

It’s very sad to see when a man decides to leave his pregnant wife, leaving her with the responsibility of raising a child on her own, I have seen this happen all too often. It is also sad to see so many marriages destroyed by pornography, which is all too acceptable and prevalent today. There is definately an all out war against the family, and it is only getting worse. There is no honor for mothers and fathers and the media certainly discourages marriage and famly.

[fleagle]

Single mothers cause much of the problems in this country...

So your thing is bashing single women while letting the "men" who fathered this children but don't assist in raising them or supporting them off the hook?

[fleagle]

p.s. I said “single women” when I meant “single moms.”

[ViLaLuz]

“That is fine if your purpose is to sit back and judge the actions of others. Some of us are actively trying to prevent the abortion of children by working with women who are considering it. Every time a woman chooses life over abortion, a murder is prevented.

It may not solve the problem of moral depravity, but I would argue that it produces better results than judging women who are already in a bad situation.”

First, I commend you and others actively working to save children’s lives.

I’m not judging the women, I’m judging the actions of the man and woman involved.

[fleagle]

There is no honor for mothers and fathers and the media certainly discourages marriage and famly.

Media and so-called "entertainment" absolutely discourages marriage and the family. But also, our laws do damage as well. I know of more than just a few moms who live with, but do not marry, their child's father because if they married and joined their incomes they'd lose the significant childcare subsidy they receive from the government.

I do not condone this behavior by the way, I abhor it, but I'm just using it as an example of how liberal policies have helped bring about the destruction of the family.

[Marie2]

“How are men to be “supportive” when the law and the culture tell them that it’s none of their business whether the woman aborts?”

As I said, I don’t think it’s all the men’s fault. I agree our laws are hideous. They forbid a man from protecting his child. What sort of Satanic law is that?

But my advice still stands. In three years, I had ONE married woman abort (that I know of). The father was pushing it. He wanted to get their business more established before she had a baby.

So wait until your married, because birth control fails FREQUENTLY. If you are married, it is highly unlikely she will abort. And should you impregnate somebody, step up. It does make a difference.

[ga medic]

Read post 33.

[socialismisinsidious]

Thanks for the ping. Missed that post. I know a woman who had an abortion (I found out after the fact) and when I asked “Why didn’t you give the baby up for adoption?” her answer was: “Oh, I could never do that!” Murder—adoption—murder—adoption. Odd and horribly sad that adoption was something she could never do, but abortion was something she could.

[brytlea]

In a nutshell, yes.

[brytlea]

Actually, there is a need for society to judge people who make bad decisions. While it may seem cruel it is how a society functions. People who act outside the parameters of what that society deems to be responsible actions are stigmatized. It’s hurtful to the person who goes thru it, but it serves as a lesson to others. While this all seems very quaint and old fashioned it is what has always held cultures together.
It is far crueler for a culture to look the other way and destine more and more children to be aborted or to be raised in dire circumstances.

[huldah1776]

I was just wondering what the abortion rate was for women who watch Sex and the city, opposed to Little House on the Prairie.

[ga medic]

I do agree that it is through judgement that we as a society can create and uphold morals and appropriate behaviors. There is a time and place to educate our society about the hazards of sex outside of marriage, but that really isn’t what the pro-life cause should be about.

I have worked with many pregnant women, who are considering abortions. I provide prenatal care and try to talk them through their situation. Although their situations vary, they are all generally terrified, and confused about what to do.

My first success in talking a woman out of having an abortion came from a simple conversation where I told an 18 year old pregnant girl about my first baby’s birth, and that even minutes after the birth, my son would turn to the sound of my wife or my’s voice. She decided right then that she wanted to keep her baby. That was 12 years ago, and her beautiful daughter recently started middle school.

That mother left the abusive boyfriend, and lived on public assistance until her daughter was old enough to enter school. She is now a single mom that must work two jobs to support her daughter. They don’t have health insurance and her daughter is on state financed health care.

The reality is that this little girl is beautiful, smart and talented child, that has been raised in large part by taxpayer money. Her mother hasn’t gotten pregnant again, but she has had a couple live-in boyfriends, in spite of my objections. I consider this a success, because the little girl’s life was saved, but I know many here at FR would find it hard to see the success in this story.

[brytlea]

I see great success in that the child was not killed. On the other hand, imagine if the mother had given that baby to an adoptive family and gone on with her life. We should glorify THAT decision.