Abortion Globally

The Value of Life

The Bible consistently affirms the value of human life, emphasizing that all life is precious and sacred. From the very beginning, scripture declares that human beings are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), imparting intrinsic worth and dignity to every person.

This foundational truth underscores the sanctity of life and God’s intentional design for each individual. The Psalmist beautifully reflects on this divine craftsmanship in Psalm 139:13-16, acknowledging that God forms each person in the womb, knitting them together with purpose and care. These passages reveal a deep, inherent value assigned to human life, rooted in God’s creative act and sustaining presence.

Additionally, in the book of Jeremiah, God declares,

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.
(Jeremiah 1: 5-6)

God was, and still is today, personally involved in the creating of each and every person.  We are all created in His image and declared as “very good.”  He loves and values us so much that He sent His son to die on the cross to cover our sins and cancel our debt (John 3:16).

Unplanned Pregnancies and Abortion In America

The annual birth rate in the United States for 2023 was 11.99 births per 1,000 people, resulting in 3,591,328 births​ (CDC)​.

Regarding unplanned pregnancies, it’s estimated that about 45% of all pregnancies in the U.S. are unplanned, translating to approximately 2.8 million unplanned pregnancies annually​ (CDC)​.

As for the abortion rate, in 2020, there were 930,160 reported abortions in the U.S., with a rate of 14.4 per 1,000 women aged 15-44 years​ (CDC)​.

These statistics highlight significant aspects of reproductive health and the choices facing many individuals each year.

The Birth And Abortion Rates Globally

The annual global birth rate in 2023 was approximately 17.46 births per 1,000 people, amounting to around 134 million births worldwide. This statistic reflects a slight decline compared to previous years, indicating ongoing demographic changes and varying fertility rates across different regions.

Globally, unplanned pregnancies remain a significant concern. According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), there were about 121 million unintended pregnancies each year from 2015 to 2019, translating to a substantial proportion of all pregnancies worldwide. This highlights the need for improved access to family planning and reproductive health services.

Regarding the global abortion rate, it is estimated that around 73 million abortions occur annually. This figure encompasses both safe and unsafe procedures, emphasizing the critical importance of access to safe, legal abortion services to protect women’s health and rights.

These global statistics underscore the complex challenges and opportunities in addressing reproductive health issues and ensuring that individuals worldwide have access to the necessary support and services.

Sources:  Our World in Data and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

Loss Of Children Through Infanticide

Infanticide seems like an impossibility in the 21st century, but it is very real in some countries. Newborns are at risk if the child is deformed or premature, if its mother already has other children, if it’s illegitimate, if the country is especially impoverished, or just because it is female, in some countries.

• In India, second daughters are often killed because families can not afford the price of a dowry. Nearly a third of the world’s newborn deaths occur in India, and the country has lost 10 million girls in the past 20 years.
• At least 117 million girls around the world demographically go “missing” due to sex-selective abortions.
• In 2015, China ended its one-child policy now allowing Chinese families to have two children.
• “Reproductive tourism” is the practice of visiting countries that allow ultrasounds specifically to identify the sex of a baby from countries that do not. Millions of girls go missing each year, and as per the United Nations Population Fund, over 170 million girls are missing in Asia alone.

In Brazil, children are killed for religious or spiritual reasons, according to Indigenous leaders. Disabled children are believed to be cursed, and twins or triplets are assumed to be harboring evil spirits. Sometimes, a Shaman can choose to have a child killed simply because he got a bad impression.

Many of the same arguments to justify the rationale for abortion will and are being used to justify infanticide.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
Psalm 139:13