139.
139.
139. This is the number of estimated reported abortions each minute worldwide. How did we get this number? According to a 2020 study1, there are approximately 73.3 million abortions a year. This is more than the culminated estimated casualties of WW1, the Vietnam War, Pearl Harbor, and the war in the Middle East.
Let’s take that number and divide it by the number of minutes in a year. There are 525,600 minutes in a year and there are 73.3 million abortions. That leaves us with 139 abortions a minute. That is equivalent to more than two abortions a second. When is the last time you counted what you were doing for a minute? Maybe it was an exercise or the amount of time until your next turn while driving on the highway. Knowing that 139 lives are ended in 60 seconds, we may value our time a little bit differently. What if our mother had decided our lives would be too difficult or that her life was too busy right now to make ours worth living?
It is well documented that a pre-born baby’s heart beats at three weeks, but in a disorganized fashion. At 4 weeks gestation, the baby’s heart begins to beat in an organized fashion2. Although it is difficult for neurologist to determine the exact time that a baby begins to sense pain, research suggests that a baby’s ability to sense pain begins as early as 7 weeks3. In addition to the baby’s nociceptive capabilities, a hypersensitivity to pain is documented as a compensatory mechanism to the baby’s otherwise premature senses3.
This presents an ethical dilemma for obvious reasons as pre-born babies are not given pain medications before they are dismembered or terminated in the womb via medicinal intervention. One of the most debated topics in relationship to abortion is when human life begins. A study performed in 1058 institutions across the world found that 96% of Biologist agreed that life begins at fertilization/conception4. No matter what side of the aisle one resides, it would not be controversial to say that abortion deleteriously alters the existence of the fetus.
However, what about the mother? Mainstream ideology would have us believe that mothers are always happy with their decision to abort and that no regret exists within this reality. Is this the truth or are we being fed a false narrative? In 2002, a study found that, across socioeconomic boundaries, women who have had an abortion are 154% more likely to commit suicide than a woman who has not had an abortion5. Another study published in the National Library of Medicine found that 60% of women having had an abortion would have preferred delivering the baby had they had more financial or emotional support6. This study also divulged discrepancies from mainstream media’s abortion satisfaction rating of 99% and the findings of regret, sadness and accounts of women reporting being pressured to have abortions against their will were noted.
Tremendous change occurs during pregnancy, even in the early stages, yet no post-partum appointments are made for post-abortion mothers7. This is surprising as the United States is the only developed country with increasing maternal death8.
What does this all mean? How can we navigate such alienating topics without getting a sense of loss and numbness? If we decide to care, the reality of what goes on every minute of the day begins to nauseate us to our core. The lives of millions and billions of babies are being ended for the sake of convenience and frivolity. The World Population Review has found that approximately 1% of pregnancies are terminated due to rape9. Some studies suggest it can be as high as 5%. It also relays that less than 0.5% of pregnancies are terminated due to incest. Even if we were to add the highest numbers together totaling 5.5%, does this justify the end of a life due to someone else’s wrong?
Sources