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ABORTION WAS criminalized throughout the U.S. between the late 1800s and 1973. But during that time, millions of women sought and obtained abortions anyway.

ABORTION WAS criminalized throughout the U.S. between the late 1800s and 1973. But during that time, millions of women sought and obtained abortions anyway.

Of these, tens upon tens of thousands died from illegal abortions or complications arising from them. One 1932 study estimated that illegal abortions or complications from them were the cause of death for 15,000 women each year. Current, more conservative, estimates of the death toll still stand at between 5,000 and 10,000 deaths per year.<ref>[http://socialistworker.org/2005-2/562/562_06_Abortion.shtml "An era of tragedy for women

Of these, tens upon tens of thousands died from illegal abortions or complications arising from them. One 1932 study estimated that illegal abortions or complications from them were the cause of death for 15,000 women each year. Current, more conservative, estimates of the death toll still stand at between 5,000 and 10,000 deaths per year.<ref>[http://socialistworker.org/2005-2/562/562_06_Abortion.shtml "An era of tragedy for women When abortion was illegal", ''Socialist Worker'', October 21, 2005]</ref>

When abortion was illegal", ''Socialist Worker'', October 21, 2005]</ref>

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Claims that tens of thousands of women lost their lives annually from criminal abortion persist to this day.<ref>[http://www.ourbodiesourselves.org/book/companion.asp?compID=100&id=20 "The Impact of Illegal Abortion" from Abortoin Access Project]</ref>

Claims that tens of thousands of women lost their lives annually from criminal abortion persist to this day.<ref>[http://www.ourbodiesourselves.org/book/companion.asp?compID=100&id=20 "The Impact of Illegal Abortion" from Abortoin Access Project]</ref>

The original source of the claim that 5,000 - 10,000 women died from criminal abortions annually in the US was a book -- ''Abortion, Spontaneous and Induced'' -- published in 1936 by Dr. Frederick Taussig, a leading proponent of legalization of abortion. Taussig calculated an urban abortion rate based on records of a New York City birth control clinic, and a rural abortion rate based on some numbers given to him by some doctors in Iowa. He took a guess at a mortality rate, multiplied by his strangely generated estimate of how many criminal abortions were taking place, and published his numbers.

The original source of the claim that 5,000 - 10,000 women died from criminal abortions annually in the US was a book -- ''Abortion, Spontaneous and Induced''—published in 1936 by Dr. Frederick Taussig, a leading proponent of legalization of abortion. Taussig calculated an urban abortion rate based on records of a New York City birth control clinic, and a rural abortion rate based on some numbers given to him by some doctors in Iowa. He took a guess at a mortality rate, multiplied by his strangely generated estimate of how many criminal abortions were taking place, and published his numbers.

Even if Taussig's calculations, by some mathematical miracle, had been correct, they still would have been out of date by the end of WWII. Antibiotics and blood transfusions changed the face of medicine. But not only are the Taussig numbers dated, they were never accurate to begin with. At a conference in 1942, Taussig himself apologized for using "the wildest estimates" to generate a bogus number.<ref>[http://www.thefreelibrary.com/A+Primer+on+%22Abortion+Distortion%22.-a0124171531 "A Primer on 'Abortion Distortion'", National Right to Life Committee]</ref>

Even if Taussig's calculations, by some mathematical miracle, had been correct, they still would have been out of date by the end of WWII. Antibiotics and blood transfusions changed the face of medicine. But not only are the Taussig numbers dated, they were never accurate to begin with. At a conference in 1942, Taussig himself apologized for using "the wildest estimates" to generate a bogus number.<ref>[http://www.thefreelibrary.com/A+Primer+on+%22Abortion+Distortion%22.-a0124171531 "A Primer on 'Abortion Distortion'", National Right to Life Committee]</ref>

Are these numbers realistic at all? Mary Calderone, who was then Medical Director of Planned Parenthood, reported on a conference studying abortion in America. She indicated that in 1957, there were 260 abortion deaths nationwide. That number included all abortions: legal, illegal, and spontaneous.<ref>Mary Calderone, "Illegal abortion as a public health issue," ''American Journal of Public Health'', July 1960</ref> The calculations based on state maternal mortality investigations are fairly close to Calderone's numbers based on national data. These numbers were based on alerting doctors, law enforcement, coroners, and hospital administrators, along with public records officials, of their responsibility to report these deaths. Taussig's estimates of 5,000 to 10,000 deaths would have meant that Minnesota authorities should have found 80 to 160 deaths per year when all their efforts could only find one or two. Tennessee should have been finding 85 to 170, rather than 4 or 5. And California should have been finding 1100 to 2200, rather than roughly 26.

Are these numbers realistic at all? Mary Calderone, who was then Medical Director of Planned Parenthood, reported on a conference studying abortion in America. She indicated that in 1957, there were 260 abortion deaths nationwide. That number included all abortions: legal, illegal, and spontaneous.<ref>Mary Calderone, "Illegal abortion as a public health issue," ''American Journal of Public Health'', July 1960</ref> The calculations based on state maternal mortality investigations are fairly close to Calderone's numbers based on national data. These numbers were based on alerting doctors, law enforcement, coroners, and hospital administrators, along with public records officials, of their responsibility to report these deaths. Taussig's estimates of 5,000 to 10,000 deaths would have meant that Minnesota authorities should have found 80 to 160 deaths per year when all their efforts could only find one or two. Tennessee should have been finding 85 to 170, rather than 4 or 5. And California should have been finding 1100 to 2200, rather than roughly 26.

So the final numbers generated by researchers are likely accurate enough for public policy purposes, and they indicate the following mortality from all induced abortions in the United States, both illegal and legal<ref>Induced termination of pregnancy before and after Roe v. Wade" ''Journal of the American Medical Association'', 12/9/92, vol. 208, no. 22, p. 3231-3239</ref>:

So the final numbers generated by researchers are likely accurate enough for public policy purposes, and they indicate the following mortality from all induced abortions in the United States, both illegal and legal:<ref>Induced termination of pregnancy before and after Roe v. Wade" ''Journal of the American Medical Association'', 12/9/92, vol. 208, no. 22, p. 3231-3239</ref>

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[[category:Abortion]]

[[Category:Abortion]]