According to the Virginia Center for Health Statistics, the number of abortions in 2001 dropped 12% from the previous year. The latest list shows at total of 24,586 “induced terminations of pregnancy,” compared with 27,999 reported in 2000. This is the lowest number in 15 years.

The largest number of abortions was in Northern Virginia, 9,368 (down 12.6%), followed by the 7,523 in the Norfolk-Virginia Beach area (down 9.6%), and 4,965 in the area around Richmond (down 19.4%).

Approximately 17% of abortions were on teen-agers and about 55% on women in the twenties.

It is apparent that women are getting better information about abortion and many are deciding not to abort. The Virginia informed consent law was in effect the last three months of 2001 and undoubtedly contributed to the decline. “Truth is prevailing,” said VSHL President Brenda Fastabend at a media briefing in Richmond, noting that many women and young girls who had abortions in the past say they were given almost no information.

While the decrease is laudable, it is still true that, on the average, one innocent baby is killed intentionally before birth, here in Virginia, every 21minutes of every day of the year.

Published in VSHL Lifesaver, April 2003