David Francis, in the current Christian Science Monitor, makes the point that “Universal access to birth control (and maternal and newborn health services) would bring a decline of over two-thirds in unintended pregnancies worldwide; in addition abortion would fall about 22 million, and the lives of 400,00 women and 1.6 million infants would be saved annually.”
Mr. Francis, an economist, points out that lower birthrates “generally mean faster economic development, less poverty, and more education.” “In Norway,” according to Francis, “88 percent of women use modern contraceptive practices; in Chad (with 6 children per woman), 3 percent do.”
In a world rushing toward an unimaginable 9 billion by 2045, the United States, under President Obama (who, on taking office, immediately repealed the “gag rule” imposed by President Bush, which didn”t allow U.S. funding of institutions abroad with the slightest connection to abortion activities) U.S. family planning aid has risen from $470 million in 2008 to a requested $593 million for fiscal 2010. “Perhaps, (says the Monitor) “just perhaps,” this Earth will have “fewer babies and less overcrowding.”
Norman Fleishman
Lakeport
