Support First Things by turning your adblocker off or by making a  donation. Thanks!

One more contribution to the health care debate in the United States introduces a surprising possibility: Universal health care tends to cut the abortion rate. How so? Britain’s former Catholic archbishop, Basil Cardinal Hume explains:

“If that frightened, unemployed 19-year-old knows that she and her child will have access to medical care whenever it’s needed,” Hume explained, “she’s more likely to carry the baby to term. Isn’t it obvious?” . . . For various reasons, then, expanding health-care coverage reduces the rate of abortion. All the other industrialized democracies figured that out years ago.

Is this connection plausible? Read the entire article and see for yourself. (Hat tip to David Neff.)


Comments are visible to subscribers only. Log in or subscribe to join the conversation.

Tags

Loading...

Filter First Thoughts Posts

Related Articles