Teen Troubles: 4 of 10 Girls Who Have Sex by Age 14 Have Abortions

By PAUL BEDARD
Washington Examiner

New demographic analysis of abortion data finds that the bulk of the procedures are on women who had sex in their teens, some as early as 12, drawing new attention to how sex impacts America's youth.

The Family Research Council on Friday revealed some of the details in a release to Secrets to promote an upcoming family policy lecture that will include longtime abortion foe Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J.

Among the details:

- Rather than the one-third of women commonly cited by abortion supporters as having obtained an abortion, the number is one-sixth.

– Almost three-quarters of abortions are performed on women who had sex at age 16 or younger.

– 40 percent of women who begin sexual intercourse very early (ages 12 to 14) have abortions.


– There is no great difference by income status in the percentage of women who have abortions.
Smith and Patrick Fagan with the Marriage and Religion Research Institute plan to provide more details at the lecture Jan. 15.

Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner's "Washington Secrets" columnist, can be contacted at pbedard@washingtonexaminer.com.