Is Oklahoma's Pro-Life Legislation Having an Impact?

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released its 2007 abortion data yesterday. University of Alabama political scientist Michael J. New writes:
According to the report, 827,609 abortions were performed in 2007; among the 46 states that released data in both 2007 and 2006, the number of abortions fell by about 2 percent. ...

Interestingly, the number of abortions performed on Oklahoma residents fell by 6 percent between 2006 and 2007, possibly thanks to pro-life legislation passed in 2006. Oklahoma law now includes a parental-consent requirement, allows a woman to view her unborn child on ultrasound before an abortion, informs women that unborn children older than 20 weeks' gestation may feel pain, includes stronger unborn-victims-of-violence provisions, and funds pregnancy help centers. Obviously, more rigorous research needs to be done, but preliminary data indicate that this omnibus bill was effective.

Popular Posts