MN Abortion Numbers Fall, But More Are State Funded

abortion

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Even as the total number of abortions performed in Minnesota fell in the past few years, while the number and proportion of those performed by state-sponsored entities increased.

Live Action reports that from 2008 to 2015 the proportion of state-funded abortions in Minnesota has risen from 29 percent to 43 percent.

In 2014, a total of 10,123 abortions were recorded by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), with 3,858 of those paid for by the state. The total number fell to 9,861 in 2015, but 4,218 of those were taxpayer funded abortions. MDH compiles an annual report tracking a variety of abortion statistics, which are typically released in July.

Planned Parenthood is the leading abortionist in the state for both 2015 and 2014. It performed nearly half of the 2014 abortions, and more than half in 2015, accounting for 5,048 of the 9,861 abortions in 2015.

Whole Women’s Health, LLC performed the second most, with their 2,328 abortions accounting for 24 percent of all abortions in Minnesota in 2015. Robbinsdale Clinic followed in third, with 1,039 recorded abortions. Three other abortion providers accounted for the remaining 2,485 procedures.

Since taxpayer funding of abortions became legal in Minnesota in 1995, taxpayers have spent $23.5 million to perform more than 77,000 abortions, reports Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life. In 2015, the taxpayers’ bill for 4,218 abortions came out to $1,045,633.

According to the MDH report, Minnesota’s abortions total for 2015 is the lowest on record since data first started being recorded in 1975.

While women were allowed to not respond or give multiple answers, not wanting a child “at this time” was a driving reason for 6,897 of the abortions performed in Minnesota in 2015, or 70 percent. The next leading factor, economic reasons, was well behind, at 2,532 cases.

Anders Koskinen