FACTS ABOUT ABORTION

1. ABORTION IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN AMERICA

According to data from the CDC, Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, Americans died of the following conditions in 2005:

• Heart disease: 652,091 deaths 
• Cancer: 559,312 deaths 
• Stroke : 143,579 deaths 
• Chronic lower respiratory disease: 130,933 deaths 
• Accidents: 117,809 deaths 
• Diabetes mellitus: 75,119 deaths 
• Pneumonia/ influenza: 63,001 deaths 
• Alzheimer's disease: 49,558 deaths 

For the same year, there were, according to the Guttmacher Institute, 1,460,000 abortion deaths in America.  Abortion on demand produces as many deaths each year as the next two leading causes of death (heart disease & cancer) combined!  That's 4000 each day, 28,000 each week, 112,000 each month and 1,460,000 each year.

2. WHO HAS ABORTIONS?

• At least 80% of all abortions are performed on unmarried women
• The abortion ratio for unmarried women is 510 abortions for every 1,000 live births. For married women it is 61 abortions for every 1,000 live births
• Women between the ages of 20-24 obtained 33% of all abortions
• 50% of U.S. women obtaining abortions are younger than 25; women aged 20-24 obtain 33% of all U.S. abortions and teenagers obtain 17%
• Adolescents under 15 years obtained less than 1% of all abortions, but have the highest abortion ratio, 773 abortions for every 1,000 live births
• 40% of minors having an abortion report that neither of their parents knew about the abortion
• 47% of women who have abortions had at least one previous abortion
• 87% of abortions were known to have been performed by curettage (which includes dilatation and evacuation [D&E]). Most curetage abortions are suction procedures.
  

3. WHY ARE THEY HAVING ABORTIONS?

On average, women give at least 3 reasons for choosing abortion:

1. 3/4 say a baby would interfere with work, school or other responsibilities
2. about 3/4 say they cannot afford a child
3. 1/2 say they do not want to be a single parent or are having problems with their husband or partner

• 88% of all abortions happen during the first trimester, prior to the at 13th week

4. THE BIBLE TEACHES THE CHILD IN THE WOMB IS A CHILD

In the Bible, the same word is used for a child "in the womb" and "after birth". The Greek word is Brephos: that is, "baby". 

• Luke 1:41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting the baby lept in her womb
• Luke 2:12 You will find a baby (Jesus) wrapped in clothes and lying in a manger

God knows the preborn child - not as a "fetus" but as a "human baby".

• Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed you in the womb I knew you
• Psalm 139: 13, 15 You knit me in my mother’s womb . . . nor was my frame unknown to you when I was made in secret
• Galatians 1:15 The Apostle Paul said: "God… from my mother’s womb had set me apart and called me through his grace" 

5. THE DIARY OF AN UNBORN CHILD

1. Immediately upon fertilization, cellular development begins. Before implantation the sex of the new life can be determined. 
2. At implantation, the new life is composed of hundreds of cells and has developed a protective hormone to prevent the mother's body from rejecting it as a foreign tissue. 
3. At 17 days, the new life has developed its own blood cells; the placenta is a part of the new life and not of the mother. 
4. At 18 days, occasional pulsations of a muscle - this will be the heart. 
5. At 19 days, the eyes start to develop.
6. At 20 days, the foundation of the entire nervous system has been laid down. 
7. At 24 days, the heart has regular beats or pulsations. 
8. At 28 days, 40 pairs of muscles are developed along the trunk of the new life; arms and legs forming. 
9. At 30 days, regular blood flow within the vascular system; the ears and nasal development have begun. 
10. At 40 days, the heart energy output is reported to be almost 20% of an adult. 
11. At 42 days, skeleton complete and the reflexes are present. 
12. At 43 days, electrical brain wave patterns can be recorded. This is usually ample evidence that "thinking" is taking place in the brain. The new life may be thought of as a thinking person. 
13. At 49 days, the baby has the appearance of a miniature doll with complete fingers, toes and ears. 
14. At 56 days all organs functioning - stomach, liver, kidney, brain - all systems intact. Lines in palms. All future development of new life is simply that of refinement and increase in size until maturity at approximately age 23 years. 
15. 9th & 10th week, squints, swallows, retracts tongue. 
16. 11th & 12th week, arms & legs move, sucks thumb, inhales and exhales amniotic fluid, nails appearing. 
17. 16 weeks (four months), genital organs clearly differentiated, grasps with hands, swims, kicks and turns somersaults.
18. 18 weeks, vocal cords working . . . can cry. 
19. 20 weeks, hair appears on head; weight - one pound; height - 12 inches. A person is a person, no matter how small.

6. ABORTION IS AN ACT OF MURDER

• The term "with child" occurs twenty-six times in the Bible. The term "with fetus" never occurs once. 
• In God eyes, an unborn babe and a newborn babe are the same. They are both living human beings!
• To kill a human being is an act of murder and a violation of the  6th commandment: "Thou shall not muder".
• If a pregnant woman is murdered, that killer is charge with two counts of murder – not one.

7. MANY WOMEN LATER REGRET THEY HAD AN ABORTION

Unless extremely hardened and cold-hearted, many women who decide to have an abortion spend the rest of their lives regretting it.   A sense of shame, guilt and heartache haunts them until they repent and ask God for forgiveness.

8. WORLD WIDE STATISTICS

• In 54 nations (61% of world population) abortion is legal
• In 97 nations (39% of world population)) abortion is illegal
• Numerically, the number of abortions each year  would about total the population of Italy.
• In the second world war about 40 million were killed.
• From 1973 (when abortion was approved) 42 million babies have been killed.
• Over 95% of the abortions performed in the world today are with women who simply do not want to have a baby.
• Less than 5% of abortions in the world today are for the reasons of rape, incest, or the mother's health at risk.

9. WHERE TO GET HELP IF YOU’RE CONSIDERING ABORTION

• America's Crisis Pregnancy Helpline: 1.800.67.BABY.6
• Bethany Christian Services: 1.800.BETHANY
• Birthright: 1.800.550.4900
• Catholic Charities: 1.800.CARE.002
• Christian Adoption: 1.800.277.7006
• Good Counsel Homes: 1.800.723.8331
• National Council for Adoption: 1.703.299.6633
• National Life Center: 1.800.848.LOVE
• Nurturing Network, The: 1.800.TNN.4MOM
• OptionLine: 1.800.395.HELP
• Real Alternatives: 1.888.LIFE.AID
• Several Sources Foundation: 1.800.NO.ABORT