State ranks 13th in country in abortions, CDC says

Posted on Thursday, September 6, 2012 at 6:01 pm

By IAN SKOTTE

Staff Writer

Wednesday marked the 12-year anniversary of the Planned Parenthood of Middle Tennessee v. Sundquist ruling by Tennessee’s Supreme Court, which reaffirmed the right to privacy found in the Tennessee Constitution.

The suit was originally filed in 1992 against the state, challenging its restrictive abortion statute.

According to the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee, the court said that “a woman’s right to terminate her pregnancy is a vital part of the right to privacy guaranteed by the Tennessee Constitution” and affirmed greater privacy protections under the state constitution.”

But according to Tennessee’s Right to Life president Brian Harris, the ruling pushed through the most extreme pro-abortion policies of any state.

“Common sense policies such as informed consent for women considering abortion and the regulation of abortion facilities are enforced in our neighboring states but not in Tennessee,” said Harris.  “Advocates on both sides of the abortion question recognize that without basic safeguards, Tennessee has become a destination for women across the southeast seeking unregulated abortion on demand.”

 

14 percent of

pregnancies in state end in abortion

According to the Tennessee Department of Health, 14 percent of pregnancies in the state ended in abortion in the five-year period between 2006-2010.

More than 67,000 abortions were performed in Tennessee compared to 417,000 births during that time period. Statistics show the largest percentage of abortions occurred in girl’s ages 10-14, with 33 percent of those pregnancies ending in abortion.

The Tennessee Department of Health released figures that break down the total number of abortions performed by age and race.

According to the state’s figures, women ages 20-24 (from 2006-2010) had the highest number of abortions. More than 22,000 abortions were performed in this age group. It should be noted this age group also had the highest number of births.

Tennessee ranks 13^th (excluding California) when it comes to abortions. Neighboring state North Carolina has a higher abortion rate, and Alabama and Kentucky aren’t far behind Tennessee.

According to Steven Emmert, chief operating officer with Planned Parenthood of Middle and East Tennessee, there will always be a need for abortion services due to unavoidable circumstances.

Planned Parenthood, Emmert noted, is committed to ensuring that women have access to safe abortion services.

“At the same time, we work everyday to help women avoid unintended pregnancies with the help of preventative health care services, birth control and education.”

Still, the abortion rate in the U.S. has remained stagnant over the last decade with 16 percent of women choosing to terminate a pregnancy, according to the CDC.

Emmert says that could soon change. And, it’s one of the reasons he’s happy with the Affordable Care Act that allows women access to birth control services with no co-pay.

“When you’re talking about an economy that’s struggling, and a family debating whether they’re going to have food left through the end of the month, or if Mom’s going to have her birth control pills—those are difficult decisions women are having to make everyday.”

 

Where they stand

Obviously a hot-button issue on the campaign trail, here’s where both presidential candidates stand on the issue of abortion.

Gov. Mitt Romney says he’s an opponent of any form of abortion—except in the case of rape, incest and the risk of the mother’s health. However, this was not always his stance. Gov. Romney ran as a pro-choice candidate for governor of Massachusetts. His current stance on abortion also differs with his party’s platform of anti-abortion no matter what the circumstances.

President Barack Obama believes abortion should be left up to the mother to decide and supports Roe v. Wade. He also remains committed to policies, initiatives and programs that help prevent unintended pregnancies.

 

Voters to decide in Tennessee

Tennessee voters will decide whether the state constitution protects abortion right. State House members approved a referendum in May for a resolution intended to nullify the 2000 Tennessee Supreme Court ruling. It will appear on the ballot in 2014.

The ballot resolution will say: “Nothing in this Constitution secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of an abortion. The people retain the right through their elected state representatives and state senators to enact, amend, or repeal statutes regarding abortion, including, but not limited to, circumstances of pregnancy resulting from rape or incest or when necessary to save the life of the mother.”

 

 

Year	Age Range	Race	Abortions	Population	Births
2006	10-44	ALL	12,586	1,447,576	84,206
2006	10-14	ALL	68	201,827	160
2006	15-17	ALL	737	118,599	3,392
2006	18-19	ALL	1,491	83,262	7,387
2006	20-24	ALL	3,717	200,883	25,437
2006	25-29	ALL	3,486	198,691	23,583
2006	30-34	ALL	1,684	205,910	15,652
2006	35-39	ALL	1,179	210,117	7,211
2006	40-44	ALL	224	228,287	1,384
2006	10-44	WHITE	6,265	1,132,492	64,706
2006	10-14	WHITE	24	153,516	78
2006	15-17	WHITE	362	91,320	2,192
2006	18-19	WHITE	762	63,214	5,209
2006	20-24	WHITE	1,911	155,271	18,940
2006	25-29	WHITE	1,603	154,022	18,603
2006	30-34	WHITE	804	162,338	12,720
2006	35-39	WHITE	662	168,015	5,867
2006	40-44	WHITE	137	184,796	1,097
2006	10-44	NONWHITE	6,016	315,084	19,500
2006	10-14	NONWHITE	40	48,311	82
2006	15-17	NONWHITE	359	27,279	1,200
2006	18-19	NONWHITE	700	20,048	2,178
2006	20-24	NONWHITE	1,712	45,612	6,497
2006	25-29	NONWHITE	1,806	44,669	4,980
2006	30-34	NONWHITE	838	43,572	2,932
2006	35-39	NONWHITE	485	42,102	1,344
2006	40-44	NONWHITE	76	43,491	287
2007	10-44	ALL	14,282	1,448,370	86,572
2007	10-14	ALL	92	195,994	163
2007	15-17	ALL	761	120,852	3,361
2007	18-19	ALL	1,468	84,526	7,894
2007	20-24	ALL	4,731	203,161	26,015
2007	25-29	ALL	3,676	200,382	24,478
2007	30-34	ALL	2,069	205,765	16,001
2007	35-39	ALL	1,153	211,625	7,272
2007	40-44	ALL	332	226,065	1,388
2007	10-44	WHITE	7,045	1,141,874	66,369
2007	10-14	WHITE	45	148,541	82
2007	15-17	WHITE	373	94,098	2,147
2007	18-19	WHITE	789	64,877	5,420
2007	20-24	WHITE	2,352	158,605	19,300
2007	25-29	WHITE	1,641	157,014	19,312
2007	30-34	WHITE	1,009	163,509	13,143
2007	35-39	WHITE	629	170,737	5,872
2007	40-44	WHITE	207	184,493	1,093
2007	10-44	NONWHITE	6,905	306,496	20,203
2007	10-14	NONWHITE	46	47,453	81
2007	15-17	NONWHITE	371	26,754	1,214
2007	18-19	NONWHITE	648	19,649	2,474
2007	20-24	NONWHITE	2,262	44,556	6,715
2007	25-29	NONWHITE	1,953	43,368	5,166
2007	30-34	NONWHITE	1,011	42,256	2,858
2007	35-39	NONWHITE	500	40,888	1,400
2007	40-44	NONWHITE	114	41,572	295
2008	10-44	ALL	14,178	1,448,954	85,381
2008	10-14	ALL	79	196,036	150
2008	15-17	ALL	750	122,020	3,328
2008	18-19	ALL	1,468	85,353	7,821
2008	20-24	ALL	4,751	204,630	25,396
2008	25-29	ALL	3,604	202,100	24,091
2008	30-34	ALL	1,988	205,041	16,043
2008	35-39	ALL	1,202	211,755	7,215
2008	40-44	ALL	336	222,019	1,337
2008	10-44	WHITE	6,876	1,140,729	65,016
2008	10-14	WHITE	27	148,803	68
2008	15-17	WHITE	361	94,899	2,086
2008	18-19	WHITE	737	65,382	5,351
2008	20-24	WHITE	2,303	159,502	18,710
2008	25-29	WHITE	1,659	158,332	18,926
2008	30-34	WHITE	968	162,386	13,005
2008	35-39	WHITE	610	170,534	5,803
2008	40-44	WHITE	211	180,891	1,067
2008	10-44	NONWHITE	6,986	308,225	20,365
2008	10-14	NONWHITE	52	47,233	82
2008	15-17	NONWHITE	377	27,121	1,242
2008	18-19	NONWHITE	702	19,971	2,470
2008	20-24	NONWHITE	2,340	45,128	6,686
2008	25-29	NONWHITE	1,870	43,768	5,165
2008	30-34	NONWHITE	974	42,655	3,038
2008	35-39	NONWHITE	553	41,221	1,412
2008	40-44	NONWHITE	553	41,128	270
2009	10-44	ALL	13,584	1,450,130	81,974
2009	10-14	ALL	57	196,135	121
2009	15-17	ALL	676	123,216	2,955
2009	18-19	ALL	1,375	86,201	7,406
2009	20-24	ALL	4,529	206,207	24,027
2009	25-29	ALL	3,454	203,928	23,216
2009	30-34	ALL	1,978	204,399	15,835
2009	35-39	ALL	1,188	211,939	7,079
2009	40-44	ALL	327	218,105	1,335
2009	10-44	WHITE	6,458	1,139,949	61,007
2009	10-14	WHITE	25	149,090	70
2009	15-17	WHITE	309	95,695	1,818
2009	18-19	WHITE	676	65,908	5,017
2009	20-24	WHITE	2,172	160,467	17,175
2009	25-29	WHITE	1,592	159,732	17,844
2009	30-34	WHITE	897	161,321	12,565
2009	35-39	WHITE	610	170,349	5,503
2009	40-44	WHITE	177	177,387	1,015
2009	10-44	NONWHITE	6,680	310,181	20,288
2009	10-14	NONWHITE	31	47,045	51
2009	15-17	NONWHITE	349	27,521	1,119
2009	18-19	NONWHITE	654	20,293	2,343
2009	20-24	NONWHITE	2,235	45,740	6,650
2009	25-29	NONWHITE	1,733	44,196	5,164
2009	30-34	NONWHITE	1,000	43,078	3,143
2009	35-39	NONWHITE	542	41,590	1,514
2009	40-44	NONWHITE	136	40,718	304
2010	10-44	ALL	12,475	1,478,252	79,237
2010	10-14	ALL	56	203,902	116
2010	15-17	ALL	561	125,133	2,532
2010	18-19	ALL	1,152	89,051	6,708
2010	20-24	ALL	4,287	213,339	22,758
2010	25-29	ALL	3,087	210,686	22,815
2010	30-34	ALL	1,933	204,785	16,005
2010	35-39	ALL	1,068	213,862	6,881
2010	40-44	ALL	331	217,494	1,422
2010	10-44	WHITE	5,787	1,090,540	60,112
2010	10-14	WHITE	22	145,982	51
2010	15-17	WHITE	242	89,402	1,642
2010	18-19	WHITE	541	63,377	4,592
2010	20-24	WHITE	1,969	154,821	16,387
2010	25-29	WHITE	1,388	154,195	18,000
2010	30-34	WHITE	898	151,388	12,864
2010	35-39	WHITE	537	162,396	5,468
2010	40-44	WHITE	190	168,979	1,108
2010	10-44	NONWHITE	6,297	387,712	18,501
2010	10-14	NONWHITE	33	57,920	64
2010	15-17	NONWHITE	300	35,731	877
2010	18-19	NONWHITE	571	25,674	2,078
2010	20-24	NONWHITE	2,194	58,518	6,204
2010	25-29	NONWHITE	1,606	56,491	4,606
2010	30-34	NONWHITE	970	53,397	3,002
2010	35-39	NONWHITE	496	51,466	1,372
2010	40-44	NONWHITE	127	48,515	298

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