NEW ORLEANS - The number of abortions in Louisiana decreased by 3 percent from 2016 to 2017, according to preliminary figures provided to Louisiana Right to Life recently by the Louisiana Department of Health. It was the third straight year abortion numbers have dropped.
There were 8,706 abortions performed in Louisiana in 2017, down from 8,972 abortions reported in 2016, 9,362 abortions reported in 2015, and 10,211 abortions reported in 2014. The number of abortions performed in the state had increased steadily since Hurricane Katrina before the abortion rate began to decline.
Even with numbers down nearly 15 percent since 2014, an average of 24 abortions per day were performed in Louisiana in 2017. Louisiana Right to Life will continue working hard to reduce these numbers until every baby is saved.
Benjamin Clapper, Executive Director of Louisiana Right to Life, said the following on the publishing of the statistics: "
We are excited that for the third straight year abortion has decreased in Louisiana. This decrease means that children were born in 2017 who may have been aborted in previous years. These babies now get to enjoy their life in the great state we call home. We believe that every life deserves a lifetime, and that no matter the circumstances that mothers in our state face, our communities can provide support to assist them both before and after birth.
"Moving forward, we hope that the option of adoption will flourish in our state and lead to an even greater decrease in abortion, giving those who are considering abortion another option that will benefit them and their unborn baby. Together, we can build a future where every baby is protected by law and welcomed into our state with love."
The number of abortions performed in Louisiana on women from another state, as well as parish by parish figures, have not yet been released by the state.
Some quick facts about the 2017 statistics in Louisiana:
- There were 8,706 abortions performed in 2017. That means there were, on average, 24 abortions per day.
- 27 girls under the age of 15 had abortions in 2017. Another 791 girls between the ages of 15-19 aborted their babies.
- The largest number of abortions - 2,532 - were performed on women between the ages of 25-29. There were also 11,132 women ages 35 and older who had abortions in 2017.
- Women categorized as "non-white" accounted for 69% of abortions performed in 2017.
- 84% of women who had abortions in 2017 were unmarried.
- Nearly 70% of babies were aborted within eight weeks of pregnancy.
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