A recent study published by the Population and Pension Research Institute (PAPRI) of London provides evidence of the public-health benefits of legal protections for the unborn. This study compares public-health outcomes in Britain, Wales, and Scotland — where abortion has been legal since 1968 — with outcomes in Ireland and Northern Ireland, where abortion has been legally restricted. The study demonstrates that the Irish consistently outperform their English, Scottish, and Welsh counterparts on a variety of health measures.
The study begins by nicely showing the effectiveness of pro-life laws. The abortion rate in both Ireland and Northern Ireland is consistently lower than the abortion rate in England, Scotland, and Wales. This even takes into account Irish women who obtain abortions in other countries. Additionally, Ireland and Northern Ireland both have a birthrate that is greater than the birthrate in England, Scotland, and Wales — and consistently approaches or exceeds the replacement rate.
The study then considers a range of public-health measures. In 1971 the stillbirth rate was higher in both Northern Ireland and Ireland than in the other countries. However, by 2010 the stillbirth rate had fallen dramatically in both regions and was considerably lower than the stillbirth rate in England, Scotland, and Wales. The study also showed that Ireland and Northern Ireland also have a consistently lower incidence of both low weight births (under 2500 g) and very low weight births (under 1500 g). Finally, women in Ireland and Northern Ireland also enjoy consistently lower maternal-death rates and breast-cancer rates than their English, Welsh, and Scottish counterparts.
A number of industrialized countries legalized abortion in the late 1960s and early 1970s. This has made cross-country comparisons difficult for researchers who wish to study the public-health effects of legal abortion. However, this study is able to nicely compare a range of public-health outcomes across regions that have pursued significantly different policies regarding abortion. The United Nations and the International Planned Parenthood Federation frequently claim that legal abortion reduces maternal mortality and improves women’s health. However, this study provides some very solid evidence of the public-health benefits of effective pro-life laws.
— Michael J. New is an assistant professor of political science at the University of Michigan–Dearborn, a fellow at the Witherspoon Institute, and an adjunct scholar at the Charlotte Lozier Institute in Washington, D.C.
I understand that single, Irish mothers also had much better laundering skills than their western counterparts.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHappy babies produce happy mothers. Being Pro Life is a reciprocal relationship.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI don't know how you work this out. The abortion rate is obviously going to be lower in Ireland because abortions are illegal in Ireland.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseYes, a lower abortion rate and a higher birth rate are natural byproducts of having pro-life laws in place, but the bigger story and the bigger picture is the significant health benefits women experience when the laws are present, and the increased health risks women have to deal with in their absence.. These types of reports and studies don't normally see the light of day in the press because much of the media is biased on the subject of abortion. You would think they could put their differences aside when it comes down to a woman's health, but apparently they care more about their ideology.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe newly begotten immortal soul is created in perfect legal and moral innocence and is the standard of Justice for the nation. The newly begotten immortal soul has sovereign personhood and constitutes the nation from the first moment of his existence. The newly begotten makes a mother of a woman and a father of a man. The newly begotten says "I AM" The Culture of Life brings much benefit.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"Additionally, Ireland and Northern Ireland both have a birthrate that is greater than the birthrate in England, Scotland, and Wales — and consistently approaches or exceeds the replacement rate."
A new slogan, perhaps: "Women of America: Pop out a baby for the State."
I'm not making light either of abortion or of the dispute about the government's role in regulating the practice. But I've always thought that this particular argument - the birthrate will increase - to be, while probably accurate, somewhat creepy. It reminds me too much of the Chinese government's efforts to increase the abortion rate in order to decrease the birthrate.
There's nothing wrong with appealing to economics, religion, culture, nationalism or patriotism if you want to persuade Americans to produce more children, but at least on this issue I think that harnessing the "make more babies" line to the coercive power of the state is a really bad idea.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseYou talk as if the birth rate were the main topic of this story. I grant you that it is significant when it is tied in with letting a life continue as opposed to cutting it off. The main thrust of this article, however, focuses on the overall health of the women, and this is just one of many studies that have provided insight for women about the health risks of abortion.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseGreat article thank you for posting. Who would have thought that laws that protect life would improve life for everyone...Let's hope more countries follow Ireland's example starting with the US.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThis is perhaps the most stupid attempt at causal linkage that I've read in years.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWhat's stupid is the blind passion pro-abortion people have to their ideology. There have been several studies showing the increased health risks women take on by ending their pregnancies through abortion as opposed to carrying their child through to birth. The main reason you don't hear about them is because most of media have a higher regard for their pro-abortion ideology than telling women about studies that could alert them to the higher health risks associated with having an abortion. So much for their boast about liberating women...
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHmmm the PAPRI. You mean the one man anti-abortion operation out of England?
Not sure why you didn't mention it. Well actually that's not true. I know why you didn't.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse@Moderately Libertarian:
I guess the nuns didn't beat you hard enough to get any sense into your head.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseProf. New,
Could you please examine the claims of The Economist in a recent story, and rebut either here or in their publication?
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Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"Laws that restrict abortion did not seem to lower the number of procedures. On the contrary, restrictive laws were associated with higher rates."
Studies continue to roll out on the health risks associated with abortions. The people responsible for making this study available to the public should be commended.The pro-abortion people can posture all they want to about caring about women, but getting the word out about the health risks associated with abortion is the real "public service announcement."
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