The new issue of International Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Rights contains an article entitled Legal Abortion Worldwide in 2008. The article surveys reports from the 77 nations that permit abortion to perserve a woman’s mental or physical health. The article critiques collection of abortion statistics, noting that most “official” reports are incomplete. The United States continues to lead the world in the number of abortions, but Estonia has the highest abortion rate where 90% of women of reproductive age will have an abortion. Germany and Switzerland has the lowest abortion rate at 7%.
It is discouraging that organizations like Guttmacher are the most up-to-date source of statistical information on abortion, instead of governments charged with promotion of public health.
Teresa Collett
Teresa Stanton Collett is a professor at the University of St. Thomas School of Law in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she teaches bioethics, property law, and constitutional law. A nationally prominent speaker and scholar, she is active in attempts to rebuild the Culture of Life and protect the institutions of marriage and family. She often represents groups of state legislators, the Catholic Medical Association, and the Christian Medical and Dental Association in appellate case related to medical-legal matters. She represented the governors of Minnesota and North Dakota before the U.S. Supreme Court as amici curiae regarding the effectiveness of those states’ parental involvement laws. She has served as special attorney general for Oklahoma and Kansas related to legislation designed to protect the well-being of minors and unborn children. She is an elected member of the American Law Institute and has testified before committees of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittees on the Constitution, as well as numerous legislative committees in the states.
