Abortions In Spain Up 73 Percent

Madrid, Spain (LifeNews.com) -- The number of abortions in Spain has increased 73 percent over the last decade according to a new report released Monday by the government's Health Ministry. The information about abortions from 1995 to 2004 shows abortions on teenagers from 15 to 19 has increased at the largest rate. In fact, the abortion rate for older teenage girls rose 10 percent from 2003-2004 alone. Margarita Delgado, a statistician at the Higher Scientific Research Center, said the figures show sex education is "failing among adolescents." "Birth control measures have not sunk in sufficiently, but the rise in abortions is not just an issue for adolescents but for other age groups, and that is troubling." Despite the rise in abortions the ruling Socialist government wants to make abortion easier to obtain. Current Spanish law allows abortions in most cases but women must obtain a doctor's permission for them. A measure the government plans to support in 2006 would legalize all abortions for any reasons up to the 12th week of pregnancy. The new figures show 61 percent of the 85,000 abortions in Spain annually take place in the first eight weeks of pregnancy and 96 percent were indicated as necessary for the woman's mental or physical health to meet current law. Most abortions took place in Madrid.

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