Harrisburg, Pa., Dec 9, 2003 / 22:00 pm
As a result of intense pro-life activity, the number of abortions in the state of Pennsylvania declined in 2002 by nearly five percent, but that’s no reason for pro-life Pennsylvanians to rest on their heels, says the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference (PCC).
Even though the state’s annual health statistics show that 35,167 abortions were done in Pennsylvania in 2002, that number is a 4.5 percent drop from the number of abortions in 2001.
Other 2002 statistics compiled by the state’s Department of Health indicate that 45 percent of abortions were done on women who have had one or more previous abortions; 55.6 percent of all abortions performed in Pennsylvania were to white women and 14,330 or 40.7 percent were to black women. (Black Pennsylvanians represent roughly 12 percent of the Commonwealth's population.).
However, the percentage of abortions among teenagers age 17 and younger has remained the same, accounting for 6.3 percent or 2,206 abortions in 2002.