Abortion and Health Care

Here’s a thought: if the health care bill is successful in getting another 30 million people insured, there is a possibility that the number of abortions might actually decrease. Among the many reasons women choose abortion, one has to be the high cost of childbirth.

A quick look at the numbers indicate that the average cost of an uncomplicated childbirth is about $9000 and can easily climb to $40,000 and more for premature or complicated births. Compare that to the cost of an abortion which can cost anywhere from $350 to $750. It is not hard to imagine that for some uninsured women, opting for an abortion is almost a necessity when, everything else being equal, they might very well have had the baby if not for the cost.

And yes, I understand that there are a multitude of other issues involved here (e.g. why are uninsured women getting pregnant, etc.) but the fact remains that one can’t legislate common sense or responsibility. So if one is serious on wanting to reduce the number of abortions, then fixing the health care system and getting everyone insured can only help.

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Comments

azannaphx says:

March 20, 2010 at 9:12 am

This healthcare bill should not be used to try to make changes in huge social issues like abortion rights. For better or worse, abortion is now legal in the US, and this bill should not be used as a platform to change abortion laws or further prevent a legal right. If anti-abortion advocates want to change the abortion laws, then they should try to pass a change in a stand alone bill.

One good thing has come out of painfully watching this important legislation go through Congress. It has revealed how broken Congress really is. It has shown me that lobbyists pretty much run our legislative processes. It has shown me that self-serving earmarks and riders can doom valuable and needed law reform. And through it all, I have seen the very best and the very worst law makers through a magnifying glass.
Brooke says:

March 20, 2010 at 9:14 am

I would say the cost of a birth would be a minor consideration. However, the potential cost of a lifetime of medical care (particularly for a special needs child) could potentially factor in. If you know that a child will be born with a heart defect, for example, you might know you’re staring at 1.2 billion dollars of lifetime cost for American babies born with heart defects in a single year.

Families should not be forced to do that math. period.
janine says:

March 20, 2010 at 11:18 am

A very intelligent and reasoned thought Mario. Best be careful with those types of thoughts, I hear they are socialst or elitist, I can never keep track of all the “ists”