DOH Releases 2012 Pa. Abortion Report

 

From Mike McMonagle, President
Pro-Life Coalition of Pennsylvania

On December 31, 2013, the DOH released the 2012 Pa. Abortion Statistics.  This report indicates the abortions declined in 2012 from 2011 by 1,744 or 4.8%.  I am attaching a copy of the summary sheet below.  The full Report is available on the DOH website using this link.

The DOH has had these 2012 statistics since April 2013, but has delayed releasing them for at least seven months.  However, this delay represents a relatively minor DOH deficiency.  I recently described some major DOH deficiencies (such as continuing to allow Pa. abortion facilities to cover-up sexual assaults on young girls) in a letter to Rep. Matt Baker, who is the Chairman of the Pa. House Health Committee.

Matt invited me to send this letter in our November 26, 2013 telephone conversation.  After I thanked Matt for his leadership to effect the closure of Steven Brigham's abortion chamber in Northeast Philly, I asked Matt for his assistance in effecting pro-life policies and practices at DOH in several other areas. 

2012 ABORTION STATISTICS SUMMARY

In 2012, there were 34,536 abortions performed in Pennsylvania. The 2012 figure is a 47.5 percent decrease from the 1980 total of 65,777 (the highest annual number ever recorded). The 2012 figure represents a decrease of 1,744 or 4.8 percent from the 36,280 that occurred in 2011. The lowest annual number of abortions occurred in 1999 (34,494).

Nearly all abortions in 2012 (32,075 or 92.9 percent) were performed in the first 14 weeks of pregnancy (first trimester).

Over 51 percent (17,754) of all abortions performed in Pennsylvania were to white women and 14,291 or 41.5 percent were to black or African American women. Abortions to women of Hispanic origin (regardless of race) accounted for 2,898 or 8.4 percent of all abortions in 2012.

Almost 89 percent or 30,702 of the abortions performed in Pennsylvania in 2012 were to unmarried women.

Patients age 19 and under accounted for 13.3 percent or 4,577 of the 2012 abortions performed in Pennsylvania. Females age 17 and under accounted for 4.2 percent or 1,438 of the 2012 abortions. The 2011 percentage for females age 19 and under was 14.3 and for females age 17 and under was 4.8. As in previous years, the largest single age group was 20-24, accounting for 12,098 or 35.0 percent of all 2012 abortions.
Of all the abortions that occurred in 2012 in Pennsylvania, 33,166 or 96.0 percent were performed on residents. The 2011 figure was similar at 95.0 percent. Residents of other states, territories and other countries accounted for 1,370 abortions in 2012, compared to 1,821 in 2011.

Of the abortion patients who resided in Pennsylvania, 13,659 or 41.2 percent were residents of Philadelphia. Other counties with a large number of resident abortions included Allegheny, 3,643; Delaware, 1,815; Montgomery, 1,642; and Berks, 1,594. Of all 67 Pennsylvania counties, 41 counties (61.2percent) showed a decrease in the number of resident abortions performed in 2012 compared to 2011.

Of the abortions performed in 2012 in Pennsylvania, 80.3 percent occurred in three counties -- Allegheny, Lehigh and Philadelphia.

In 2012, there were 146 reports of complications from abortions which were submitted by physicians, representing 33.9 percent more than the 109 reported in 2011. Over 79 percent of the complications in 2012 were related to retained products of conception, 11.0 percent to bleeding and 3.4 percent to infection.

Notes: The source for the number of abortions reported in Pennsylvania in 2012 is the "Report of Induced Termination of Pregnancy", which is an individual report filed for each procedure. The source for the complications data is "Abortions: Report of Complications", a separate reporting form completed by physicians who have provided medical care to a woman because of a complication resulting from an abortion or attempted abortion.

Unknowns are excluded from all calculations.