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More than one in five U.S. pregnancies end in abortion. This makes it clear that American women are becoming pregnant far more often than they desire. Almost half of the estimated 6.3 million pregnancies in the U.S. each year are unintended. There are
approximately 1.24 million mistimed or unwanted births and 1.43 million abortions annually. Unintended pregnancies among women who do not use a method of contraception are almost as likely to end in abortion as they are to end in birth. Breakdowns of these percentages are as follows: 44% birth; 43% abortion; 13% miscarriage. Within all three racial and economical groups, there is a clear association between poverty status and abortion. The Alan Guttenmacher Institute runs statistics on abortion in an even more detailed fashion than the CDC. In their most recent study they concluded that “Black women have the highest abortion rates, followed by Hispanic women, and the lowest rates occur among white women.” Abortion rates decrease as income levels rise. Women with income levels below 200% of the poverty line accounted for 57% of all women that had abortions in 2001. Abortion affects women in every age group. In 2001, 19% of women having abortions were adolescents, 56% were in their 20’s and 25% were age 30 or over.
Adoption is a loving alternative to abortion. There are hundreds of thousands of families waiting with open arms to love and care for a child. This can be an amazing experience that benefits everyone involved. Adoption allows a woman to feel positive about her choice, rather than the guilt and shame she may feel if she decided to abort. In this case, pregnancy would end with the giving of a life, rather than the taking of a life. It is extremely common in our current times to have an open adoption if you so choose. This allows you to have continued contact with your child and the adoptive family. This can help give a woman the piece of mind that although she wasn’t ready for the responsibilities of parenthood, she made the most loving decision possible for her child. Adoption allows a woman to continue to pursue earlier goals and plans. It keeps her free from the strain of financial burden that comes along with parenting. It avoids women from being forced into hasty relationships or marriages. These things won’t change
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whether they abort or adopt. The only difference that remains is that adoption provides a win-win situation for both the mother and her child.
Contraception is another alternative to abortion. This helps to prevent many of the unwanted pregnancies that later lead to abortion. Author Naomi Wolf gives us a helpful
statistic in understanding the usefulness of contraceptives. “Use of birth control lowers the likelihood of abortion by 85 percent, according to the Alan Guttmacher Institute. More than half of unplanned pregnancies occur because no contraception was used.” (118). Female sterilization, the pill and the condom are the most widely used methods of contraception. The majority of unintended pregnancies among contraceptive users result from inconsistent or incorrect use. 42 million, or 7 in 10 women of reproductive age, are sexually active and do not want to become pregnant, but could do so if they or their partner fail to use a contraceptive method. It would be beneficial if our state health agencies were to make contraceptive methods more readily available to those who need them. Nevertheless, it costs an average of $200 for a one year supply of an oral contraceptive. The average cost of an abortion ranges from $300-$500. It would be considerably less devastating, financially as well as emotionally, to tackle the problem at its roots. If a woman feels that she is responsible enough to become sexually active, she must also make an effort to be responsible when it comes to preventing an untimely pregnancy.
It is my strong belief that adoption is the best alternative to abortion. Along with adoption come many emotions. There are feelings of grief, as it is a great loss. However, in the long run feelings of pride and joy will take the place of that grief once a woman can see the fruits of her labor blossom. There is no resolve to what has been sacrificed when a woman chooses to abort. This decision cannot be reversed. Adoption will allow a child to know that their mother loved him or her enough to make the greatest sacrifice for their greater good. This is one of the most unselfish acts that someone could do. The gift of life to your child and the gift of your child to a loving family takes a tremendous amount of strength and love. Choosing to place a child for adoption is one of the most
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responsible decisions that can be made in the unfavorable situation of an unplanned pregnancy.
As we continue to work towards overturning legalized abortion, we must also continue to lay the groundwork for a society in which abortion is not the accepted answer to unwanted pregnancy. We must not allow the extermination of a living being to be used
as a form of birth control after the fact. It is not just an isolated problem that affects the pregnant woman. It affects society as a whole. We are losing an entire generation to social subservience. In its wake we are leaving many people scarred in the aftermath. It should be our goal as a community to educate ourselves about the alternatives to abortion. Once we accomplish this, we must in turn pass it on to others who need to hear this vital message.
