Data Show Half Of 2021’s Abortions In Utah Were For Economic Reasons
Of the approximately 3,000 abortions in the state in 2021, half of the patients chose socioeconomic reasons from a list of nine options to explain their decision — the price of giving birth and raising a child was unaffordable. Also in the news: misinformation ahead of the Ohio vote on abortion rights.
Salt Lake Tribune:
Utah Published New Abortion Statistics. Here’s What They Tell Us
In 2021, there were 3,129 abortions in Utah, 2,978 of which were provided to Utah residents. When asked the reason for terminating their pregnancy, with nine reasons to choose from, approximately half of people seeking an abortion told their doctor it was for socioeconomic reasons — they couldn’t afford to go through with giving birth and caring for a child. (Stern, 10/11)
Abortion news from Ohio and New Jersey —
AP:
Ohio Votes On Abortion Rights This Fall. Misinformation About The Proposal Is Spreading
A ballot measure in Ohio that would guarantee access to abortion rights is fueling misleading claims about how the proposal could influence abortion care, gender-related health care and parental consent in the state. (Swenson and Fernando, 10/11)
New Jersey Monitor:
NJ Democrats Highlight Abortion On Campaign Trail As They Fight For Their Legislative Majorities
With anti-abortion ballot measures failing in even the most conservative of states, New Jersey Democrats hope the issue will motivate voters here in November. (Nieto-Munoz, 10/9)
In other reproductive health news —
Axios San Francisco:
Birthrate On The Decline In California, San Francisco
California's birthrate fell dramatically between 2007 and 2022 — and San Francisco is mirroring that trend. The state's birthrate dropped 31% from approximately 15.6 births per 1,000 people in 2007 to 10.7 in 2022. (Fitzpatrick, Beheraj and Chen, 10/11)
The Philadelphia Inquirer:
CHOP And Penn Get $50 Million To Study Environmental Effects On Pregnancy
The University of Pennsylvania and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia have won a $50 million grant to study how environmental factors affect the health of fetuses, babies, and toddlers. Researchers plan to enroll 2,500 pregnant patients and their partners over a 7-year period with the grant from the National Institutes of Health, as part of a larger study of more than 60,000 children. The study will track harmful environmental exposures such as pollution, violence, and extreme temperatures, as well as beneficial ones like walkability and green space. (Avril, 10/12)
The Hill:
Breast Cancer Rates Are Rising. But More Women Are Surviving, Too
While rates continue to creep up year-on-year, particularly among younger women, evolutions in diagnostics and treatment mean breast cancer patients face far better prospects than ever before. Rapid drug development, personalized screening recommendations, targeted therapies and new treatments like immunotherapies have all helped women diagnosed with early stage and even metastatic breast cancer. (Weixel and Manchester, 10/11)
