Abortions
Abortion rates are dropping in America and are at the lowest levels since 1976, three years after it was brought into the daylight by Roe v. Wade in 1973.
That is good news for the generation of children that will grow to contribute for our society.
The rate of women ages 15-44 having abortions is almost 2 percent. Statistically, that means 311 CMU students could have an abortion by the time they reach 45.
Our generation appears to be thoughtfully considering the options and weighing in against having abortions, reflected in two recent movies where the heroine decides against abortion - "Juno" and "Knocked Up."
Another likely reason is the availability of the "morning after pill" and the abortion pill that was introduced in America in 2000, when the number of abortions actually dropped.
Those newly available methods, as well as the continued, increase in use of other forms of birth control - condoms, pills and even abstinence.
All of these methods should continue to be available, with more emphasis on the latter three options and more focus on planning and foresight to deal with pregnancy and sex.
But options are needed and have, as this new data show, reduced the number of abortions.
Whether the abortion is considered a murder, a choice of a coat hanger or something in between, the drop in abortions should be praised. Thoughtfulness in planning families is something that should, social science tells us, result in better educated, more successful and happier adults.
This is disproving accusations that increased access to abortions drives up rates of abortions, and could be interpreted to say just the opposite.
A more likely scenario is that people themselves are deciding not to have abortions. That is one approach that is both pro-life and pro-choice at the same time.
