Writer wrong about stopping abortions

I'm writing in response to the letter on Sept. 19 stating "Planned Parenthood helps stop abortions".

Jeffrey Biss states "it is a fact that abortions can be ended through aggressive use of contraception and sex education". If that's true, then why do two thirds of unplanned pregnancies occur among women who described themselves as using birth control, according to a study published in the May 2003 issue of the journal Human Reproduction? Women sometimes forget to take birth control pills and IUDs and condoms can fail.

Sadly, abortion becomes another birth control method to many people. The Population Council published a report in 1977 that when abortion is readily available, many women become more careless with their contraception. Approximately 40 percent of women having abortions have had at least one previous abortion. Even the U.S. Supreme Court's Planned Parenthood v. Casey decision said in part, "people have organized intimate relationships…in reliance on the availability of abortion in the event that contraception should fail".

Mr. Biss felt that Planned Parenthood provides women with "a convenient, trusted place to go to receive comprehensive quality services". Planned Parenthood is the largest single provider of abortion services in our country. Last year they reported performing 264,943 abortions nationally.

They do provide sex education but it seems to me their Web site for teens goes way beyond that and encourages teen sex. Planned Parenthood nationally last year generated total income over $902.8 million -- can they be trusted?

There are pregnancy resource centers in the area whose services are free (CareNet and Woman's Choice Services are two). When women are given accurate information about pregnancy and abortion, and provided with resources that equip them to carry their baby, then abortions are reduced.

Rose Hubbard

Glen Ellyn