Disturbing Page on "The WORLD"

Disturbing is a very light word to describe it. "The WORLD" page of the Philippine Daily Inquirer (01/21/08) carries this distressing, soul-shocking, heart-rending news item.

1.2 million US abortions a year

WASHINGTON--SOME 1.2 Million women have an abortion every year in the United States, although the rate is dropping and has reached its lowest level since 1976.

In 2005, the rate of abortions among women aged 15 to 44 had fallen to 19.4 out of every 1,000 women compared with a peak of 29.3 per 1,000 in 1981.

These figures were contained in a study by the Guttmacher Institute released Thursday just ahead of the 35th anniversay of the legalization of abortion in the United States.

Part of the reason for the falling figures appears to be linked to the increased use of
the morning-after contraceptive pill which is available over the counter without a
prescription.

There has also been a slight drop in the number of teen-age pregnancies. One study said that one teenager in 10 gave birth in 2005, compared with 12.8 percent in 1990. Among African-Americans the rate was higher at 16.8 percent compared to 23 percent in 1990.

According to the Census Bureau, there were 420,000 babies born to mothers under 19 in 2005.

But the declining abortion could also be linked to a drop in the number of centers which carry out the practice, as they have fallen from 2,9000 in 1980 to 1,800 in 2000. AFP

Whatever decrease the article is reporting offers no consolation at all. That is a million angels in flesh and blood chopped into bloody pieces--with their body and souls rejected by a cruel, scalpel- driven world.