Report Shows Arkansas Winning Fight Against Abortion

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Yesterday we reported that Arkansas’ abortion numbers have fallen to a 43-year low, according to documents released by the Arkansas Department of Health.

Today we want to delve a little more into those numbers.

On Monday the state Health Department released three reports regarding abortion in Arkansas:

Here’s a glimpse into what these reports reveal:

  • There were 2,963 abortions performed in Arkansas last year.
  • Abortion in Arkansas has fallen to its lowest levels since 1977.
  • Most of the women who had abortions last year probably were single moms.
  • More than 500 women chose not to have abortions after receiving the informed-consent information required by state law.
  • Surgical abortion dropped to historic lows while chemical abortion (RU-486) hit an all-time high in 2019.
  • Teen abortion dropped to the lowest levels our office has on record.

Over the coming days we plan to release additional information further analyzing these reports.

In the meantime, here is something important to take away from all of this:

Abortion in Arkansas has continued to decline year after year.

Arkansas has passed excellent pro-life laws, and these reports show those laws are saving lives.

Slowly but surely we are winning the fight to protect unborn children.

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Abortion in Arkansas Hits 43-Year Low

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, June 1, 2020

Little Rock, Ark. — On Monday the Arkansas Department of Health released its annual reports on the number of abortions performed in the state.

The reports show that 2,963 abortions occurred in Arkansas in 2019.

Family Council President Jerry Cox released a statement saying, “Arkansas’ abortion numbers haven’t been this low since 1977. The fact that Arkansas’ abortion numbers continue to fall year after year is really good news.”

Cox said the number of abortions performed in Arkansas have been cut by more than half since the 1990s. “In 1991 there were nearly 7,000 abortions in Arkansas. Teen abortion fell to record lows last year. Across the board, abortion is on the decline in Arkansas.”

Cox said the reports show Arkansas’ informed-consent laws have helped women choose options besides abortion. “Arkansas has excellent laws that require abortionists to give women all the facts about abortion up front, including abortion’s risks, consequences, and alternatives. They also have to give women time to consider all options before making a final decision. We estimate from these reports that more than 500 women chose not to have abortions last year after receiving this information.”

Cox said his group will continue working to end abortion in Arkansas. “Arkansans are overwhelmingly pro-life. Public opinion polling shows most Arkansans believe abortion ought to be either completely illegal or legal only under certain circumstances. In the past five years the Arkansas Legislature has enacted more than two dozen good, pro-life laws. These reports from the Department of Health simply go to show that all of that pro-life work is paying off.”

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Three Brief Facts About Abortion in Arkansas

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In the coming days the Arkansas Department of Health will release its annual reports regarding abortion in Arkansas.

Family Council has tracked this data for years and has compiled abortion stats going all the way back to the 1970s.

Here are three brief facts about abortion in Arkansas.

#1 Abortion in Arkansas is Near Historic Lows

Abortion peaked in Arkansas — and across the United States — in the mid-1990s.

Since then it has been on a downward trajectory.

In the past few years, abortion in Arkansas has plummeted, and currently sits at levels we haven’t seen in over 40 years.

#2 Chemical Abortion is on the Rise in Arkansas

Over the past 10 years we have seen a major uptick in chemical abortion in Arkansas.

Chemical abortions are performed using abortion-inducing drugs like RU-486

While chemical abortions have increased, we have seen the number of surgical abortions decrease.

Chemical abortions now make up about 30% of all abortions performed in Arkansas.

#3 Planned Parenthood and the Surgical Abortion Facility in Little Rock Both Perform Chemical Abortions

Planned Parenthood performs chemical abortions at its facility in Little Rock.

Planned Parenthood used to perform chemical abortions at its facility in Fayetteville; however, that facility closed nearly a year ago, and it has not reopened.

Many Arkansans may not be aware that Arkansas’ only freestanding surgical abortion facility performs both surgical and chemical abortions.

Conclusion

Arkansas is the second most pro-life state in the country, and most Arkansans believe abortion ought to be either completely illegal or legal only under certain circumstances.

Abortion in Arkansas will become largely illegal once the U.S. Supreme Court overturns its 1973 Roe v. Wade abortion decision.

But the fact that chemical abortion has become increasingly popular in Arkansas even as abortion overall has declined just goes to show that we still have a lot of work left to do.

Slowly but surely, we are winning the fight to protect innocent human life in Arkansas, but there is still much to be done.

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