Despite massive contraceptive use, 24% of unborn Californians die by abortion

by Matthew Cullinan Hoffman

NEW YORK, July 18, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) - One out of every four unborn Californians dies as a result of induced abortion, a figure far higher than the national average, according to a new study by the pro-abortion Guttmacher Institute.

But according to the same organization, the state’s abortion rate is accompanied by another abnormally high statistic: a stratospherically high rate of contraceptive use.

Guttmacher’s figures indicate that 214,190 women obtained abortions in California in 2008, meaning that 24% of all pregnancies ended in abortion. The national average, according to the same organization, is 19% of all pregnancies.

At the same time, California has one of the highest rates of contraceptive use among low income people. Guttmacher reports that in 2008, 1,530,550 female “contraceptive clients” were served at publicly funded clinics, reaching 64.5% of those who Guttmacher defines as “needing” the services, a figure second only to Vermont’s rate of 70.8%.

The figures fly in the face of the abortion industry’s claim that more contraceptive use will diminish the number of abortions, a claim also contradicted by a recent study conducted in Spain, which found that the abortion rate has risen with increased contraceptive use.

Additionally, Guttmacher’s figures dramatically understate the total number of abortions, by excluding chemically-induced abortions caused by the contraceptive pill and the “morning after pill,” also known as “emergency contraception.”  Such abortions occur when a woman is impregnated and the zygote is unable to attach to the uterine wall, causing it to starve to death.

The Guttmacher Institute, which receives copious grant money from the United States Congress, portrays itself as a source of scientific information about abortion and contraception.  However, the organization, which was founded by Planned Parenthood in 1968, publishes reports that are not subject to independent peer review, and interprets its study results to support the claims of Planned Parenthood.