Social

Social, medical and other factors that increase the abortion rate: We have a hunch that the vast majority of adults in Africa who would like to see the abortion rate reduced, could be far more effective if they focused their effort on changing some of these factors. Sex-education: Decreases abortion rate: The percentage of students in public schools who receive some form of sex-education has been increasing over the past few decades. Studies have shown that sex-ed tends to defer sexual activity among students. This reduces the number of unwanted pregnancies and thus the need for abortions. Increases rate: There is a movement towards sex-education that heavily stresses abstinence until marriage. If abstinence is the only message taught, then those students who decide to become sexually active will not receive information from the sex-ed course on how to prevent conception. This may increase the number of unwanted abortions and thus the number of abortions sought by this group. Of course, many students will obtain contraceptive information from other sources of information: family planning clinics, the Internet, movies, TV programs, etc. Scare tactics: Decreases rate: Some pro-life groups have been spreading post abortion danger, that abortions are dangerous, often lead to breast cancer, often cause permanent infertility and death after abortion etc. In fact, the death rate either from legal or illegal abortions performed in clinics is much higher in Afica, Nigeria in Particular than the maternal fatality rate giving birth. That is, it is dangerious for the woman to have an abortion than to proceed to a live birth. abortion. The danger of an improper abortion that leads to infertility is very high. Time interval between puberty and marriage: Increases rate: In the past in some other countries of the world today, the time interval between puberty and marriage was measured in weeks or months. Puberty is now occurring at younger ages, and the average age for first marriages is gradually increasing. As a result, the interval between puberty and marriage is now on the order of 13-14 years. During this time, the vast majority of women become sexually active and risk unwanted pregnancy. Thus, they are more liable to seek an abortion. Financial support for single mothers: Increases rate: Cost of living in the past were increased with the birth of each baby. However, many counties now are encouragining child support so that the family's standard of living decreases with each birth. Faced with the choice of a lower standard of living or an abortion, many women will chose the latter. Cost of abortions: Increase/ Decreases rate: This different from country to country. In Africa especially aborton cost is so cheap, the reseach carried out in Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa is that abortion could be done with less than 400$. Howerver, In America since the 1970's, the federal government and most states have severely restricted Medicaid funding for abortion. As a result, low-income women -- who are disproportionately women of color -- often find it difficult or impossible to obtain safe, legal abortions. Alternatives to risky behaviors: Decreases rate: There is a little-studied phenomenon that has recently surfaced among sexually-active youth. Some couples are increasingly engaging in various physical activities that do not involve penile-vagina intercourse -- including massage, cuddling, fondling, oral sex, mutual masturbation, condome etc. Emergency contraception: Decreases rate: "EC" is available in some locations and at some times during the week. These pills help women who have had unprotected intercourse prevent the start of a pregnancy. If all fertile women were aware of the medication, if all pharmacies honored physicians' prescriptions for emergency contraception, and if women kept a stock of EC on hand, then the unwanted pregnancy rate would be greatly decreased. Some sources estimate that the abortion rate could be halved with proper education. However, most women are not aware that EC exists. Also, some pharmacies like the Wal-Mart chain in the U.S. and Canada refuse to stock EC. However "EC" is more in Africa especially in Nigeria. Increases rate: Many pro-lifers have a different definition of pregnancy. They believe that it happens at conception. Since EC can sometimes prevent the implantation of a fertilized ovum in the wall of the uterus, some pro-lifers believe that EC is an abortifacient. Thus, with their definition of terms, use of EC increases the abortion rate. Childless families: Increases rate: Some women have decided to remain childless (either for now, or for their entire life). This is more common today as women enter the workforce, seeking a long-term career. If they inadvertently become pregnant, they are more likely to want to terminate the pregnancy. One & two child families: Increases rate: Many women and their partners have decided to have one or two children during their lifetime. They are keen to have "perfect" babies, and may be more likely to choose to have an abortion if they suspect that the developing embryo or fetus may be genetically defective. Techniques of Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis may be used to detect genetic defects. Genetically-related couples: Increases rate: These are typically first cousins. They sometimes seek abortions because of concerns that their baby will be born with a genetic defect because of the similarities in the parents' DNA. According to a 2002 study, an unrelated couple has a three to four percent risk of having a baby with a birth defect, significant mental retardation or genetic disease. The study found that first cousins run an additional risk of 1.7 to 2.8%. Some couples would consider this increase an acceptable risk, if they knew its magnitude. Reference. Canda Center for Abortion Control.