Abortion rate down by half in Alleghany

Abortions have decreased by 22 percent in North Carolina and by almost half in Alleghany County over the last 10 years.

According to N.C. Center for Health Statistics data, there were 34,565 induced abortions to North Carolina residents in 1990. The figure showed a fairly steady decline over the following decade, dropping to 26,944 in 2000. Of those abortions, 97.2 percent were performed in North Carolina.

With the growth in the state's population over that period, the drop in the abortion rate was even sharper. The rate of abortions per 1,000 females age 15 to 44 went from 21.7 in 1990 to 15.1 in 2000.

The state's abortion rate for whites dropped from 16.9 to 9.7, while the rate for minorities decreased from 32.9 to 27.4 over the decade.

There were 10 abortions to Alleghany County residents in 2000, compared to 18 in 1990. The county's abortion rate in 2000 was 5.4 — 5.6 for white women; no abortions were reported to minority women. The abortion fraction — the number of abortions per 1,000 pregnancies was 73.0.

Statewide, the abortion fraction dropped from 247.0 in 1990 to 181.9 in 2000. Asked about the decrease, Appalachian District Health Department Director Danny Staley said, "There's probably several reasons: the focus on families, the abstinence-until-marriage emphasis (abstinence-based sex education) seems to be making an impact."

In addition, said Staley, there are effective family-planning devices such as pills, condoms and depo provera, an injection which prevents pregnancy for three months.

"I don't think you can put your finger on any one reason," he said. "There's an increased awareness of what abortion is. That definitely has some bearing as to people's beliefs. As a society, our belief systems and values have changed in recent years....many people believe abortion is wrong." Staley added that crisis pregnancy centers have had an effect.

He said the health department is not involved with abortions. "We deal with the other end of it — maternal care, child care."

The state's pregnancy rate showed a modest decline, from 87.9 (per 1,000 childbearing-age women) in 1990 to 83.1 in 2000. Among, whites, the pregnancy rate was up slightly.

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