Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Unwanted Babies
A new study indicates that more babies are being born to mothers who didn't want to get pregnant. Some are crowing that this suggests that our culture has become 'more pro-life,' and others argue it's a testament to increased obstacles to abortion.
It is, as usual, all about nuance and spin. The data show that the proportion of 'unwanted' births is highest among African-American women and younger women - presumtively at the same time. There are many more laws now limiting access to abortions in the under-18 crowd than there were 10 years ago. But, African-Americans and Hispanics do tend to be less likely to have abortions, both for cultural and economic (again, access) reasons. So, the shift towards "more pro-life" may just be a shift in demographics. And, as the gap between haves and have-nots grows ever wider, the poor stop being able to afford contraception too.
At the end of the day, I'm a lot less concerned about the whys than I am about how these 'unwanted' kids get cared for after they get born.
It is, as usual, all about nuance and spin. The data show that the proportion of 'unwanted' births is highest among African-American women and younger women - presumtively at the same time. There are many more laws now limiting access to abortions in the under-18 crowd than there were 10 years ago. But, African-Americans and Hispanics do tend to be less likely to have abortions, both for cultural and economic (again, access) reasons. So, the shift towards "more pro-life" may just be a shift in demographics. And, as the gap between haves and have-nots grows ever wider, the poor stop being able to afford contraception too.
At the end of the day, I'm a lot less concerned about the whys than I am about how these 'unwanted' kids get cared for after they get born.
