Abortion Found To Be "Safer" Than Carrying Baby to Term

As if the topic of abortion wasn’t already controversial enough, there’s some new research on the table regarding the touchy subject.

A new study now claims that abortion is actually safer than giving birth. That’s right – you read that right. Now, before you get all up in arms over that statement, let’s see what the experts are saying.

What the Study Found

The study, which was published in the most recent issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology, was conducted by clinical professor from the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of North Carolina School Of Medicine, Dr. David Grimes, and his team.

Findings of the study show that there are 8.8 deaths per 100,000 full term pregnancies and deliveries and only 0.6 deaths per 100,000 legal abortions, meaning that a woman carrying a baby to term is 14 times more likely to die than one who opts for abortion. The information came from several sources, some of which include the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Guttmacher Institute.

Why is This Important?

There were several different reasons for the study, including advances in abortion methods over the years. For example, women can now opt to have an abortion by taking a pill early on in a pregnancy instead of having to have a surgical abortion. These changes in abortion created a need to update inaccurate information given to women prior to an abortion. Some of the pamphlets being given to women considering abortion include a long and outdated list of possible complications that make abortion seem far more unsafe than it is. In reality, the advances made in the area of abortion make it a safe option for women who do not want to carry a baby to term.

The study also highlighted the complications that are common in women who continue with a pregnancy, such as preeclampsia and other high blood pressure disorders, gestational diabetes, depression and other mental disorders, urinary tract infections, and postpartum hemorrhaging.

This Doesn’t Mean You SHOULD Get an Abortion

The point of the study was certainly not to deter women from having babies and encourage abortion, but merely to keep women informed. Studies like this are intended to help ensure that factual information is being conveyed to women so that they are not misled to believe that abortion is riskier than it actually is.

This is important because in many states doctors are legally required to go over with women the risks involved with abortion, while others require a women to undergo a 24-hour waiting period between the consultation and the actual abortion. Going one step further, a Texas law requires abortion providers to perform an ultrasound on pregnant women, show and describe the image to them, and play sounds of the fetal heartbeat.

So, you can see why this is where accurate information is crucial . . . so that women can make an informed choice and not be swayed by potentially misleading information.