The number of surgical abortions for 2011 has dropped to the lowest figure since 1999. In the year ended December 2011, there were 15,863 abortions in New Zealand. (1999 – 15,501).
We are deligted with this news! We are witnessing a very strong demand in our preganancy centres for practical help. We help vulnerable and desparate women with emotional support as well as free pregnancy tests, bassinets, prams, food parcels and even nappies as the need arises.
As an organisation who practically cares for the mother up to and after birth, Family Life International NZ provides a real choice including parenting and life skills for these vulnerable mothers. These statistics are a sign of hope, and we would love to see more government assistance in bringing these figures down even more. Currently the government does not assist the very few pregnancy centres that exist in New Zealand.
It is very sad that 48 percent of abortions are repeat abortions. Family Life International offers a programme of healing called Project Rachel for mothers who have lost children through stillbirth, infant deaths and abortion. Those that come for healing regarding a past abortion are distressed even years later and realise that they must forgive themselves.
Mother Teresa loved all children and called upon countries to care for and especially love the unborn. Yet we still have almost sixteen thousand children killed through abortion when many couples are crying out to love children. Where is the voice for these defenceless ones?
We view this dramatic decrease as a sign of hope and yet we also pray that women will be given the real choice, through support to love and care for their babies by the people of New Zealand. May the government care for the most vulnerable of our society.
NZ Abortion Statatistics for 2011 can be found at Statistics NZ.