PA Abortion Totals Rise But the Number Would be Much Higher Were It Not for Pregnancy Help

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                CONTACT:  MARIA GALLAGHER, PPLF

January 2, 2023                                                                                    717-541-0034

HARRISBURG, PA—The number of abortions rose in Pennsylvania during the year 2021, according to figures released by the PA Department of Health.

 “Every abortion is a tragedy, but the increase in the number of abortions in Pennsylvania is particularly disturbing,” said Maria Gallagher, legislative director for the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation, the Keystone State affiliate of National Right to Life.

 “Pennsylvania women deserve better than abortion, which is the taking of an innocent, unrepeatable human life. We need to invest more in services that empower pregnant women to make life-affirming decisions for themselves and their families,” Gallagher added.

 Statistics show 33,206 abortions took place in Pennsylvania in 2021, an increase of 1,083 abortions over the 2020 total of 32,123.

 “Imagine how many kindergarten classes the number 1,083 represents. We mourn the loss of these precious children, who never got the chance to see their mother’s face,” Gallagher said.

 The upsurge in abortion totals appears to be driven by the ever-rising number of chemical abortions, which now outnumber surgical abortions. The Department of Health states that 322 reports of complications from abortions were recorded in 2021—a dramatic increase of nearly 35 percent over the previous year’s totals.

 “Why are so many complications being reported? This is a public health problem that deserves immediate attention from Health Department officials,” Gallagher added.

 The number of abortions in Pennsylvania would be much higher were it not for Pennsylvania’s groundbreaking Pregnancy and Parenting Support Program, which provides comprehensive counseling and support for women facing unexpected pregnancies. The program, administered by Real Alternatives, has become a model for the rest of the nation.

 The statistics would also be higher were it not for the many other pregnancy resource centers throughout Pennsylvania, which offer everything from diapers to day care referrals, and from mentoring to maternity clothes to pregnant women in need.    

 The Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation is a grassroots right-to-life organization with members statewide.  As the state affiliate of National Right to Life, PPLF is committed to promoting the dignity and value of human life from conception to natural death and to restoring legal protection for preborn children.