BERGEN COUNTY RIGHT TO LIFE

Planned Parenthood reports 255K abortions in 2004

The number of abortions that Planned Parenthood performs has risen in each of the last two years and is now almost 20% of the 1.3 million abortions that take place annually in the United States.

According to figures from Planned Parenthood`s annual report, its centers nationwide performed 244,628 abortions in 2003, a 6.1% increase from the year before. In 2004, Planned Parenthood performed 255,015, another 4.3% increase.

"Twenty years ago, PPFA was directly responsible for more than 5.5% of all abortions committed in the United States," explained Life Decisions International president Douglas Scott. "It is now responsible for nearly 20%."

In 2003, PPFA referred just 1,774 pregnant women to adoption agencies, which was a 9.6% decrease from the previous year. In 2004, that low number declined to 1,414 women, a nearly 20% decrease.

As a result, Planned Parenthood performs 180 abortions for every woman it refers to an adoption agency, according to its own figures.

"[I]f a woman wants to give birth to a healthy baby, PPFA kicks her out the door with a referral slip. After all, adoption is not where the money is," Scott said.

In 1985, Parenthood operated 763 facilities nationwide. That number increased to 922 in 1992. By June 2004, PPFA said it operated 850 facilities -- an 8% decrease from 1992. It has closed more since then.