Photo Credit: Beulah Baptist Church / Facebook
The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –
The third Sunday in January is recognized by churches throughout the United States as Sanctity of Human Life Sunday. Ronald Reagan issued a proclamation designating January 22 as the first National Sanctity of Human Life Day in 1984. The U.S. Supreme Court legalized abortion on demand in all 50 states on January 22, 1973.
In 2022, the third Sunday in January was the 16th, but some churches will mark it on the 23rd as it’s closer to the anniversary.
On Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, churches in the U.S. celebrate the divine gift of life, commit to protecting human life at every stage, and commemorate those lives that have been lost to abortion.
According to CDC data, 9,719 abortions took place in Tennessee in 2019. This number includes abortions performed on out-of-state residents but does not include abortions performed on Tennessee residents in other states. The CDC data reports that 18.8% of all the abortions that took place in Tennesee in 2019 were performed on out-of-state residents.
In the same year, 10.8% of all pregnancies ended in abortion in Tennessee. This number does not include miscarriages. In 2009, that percentage was 18% and over the decade span from 2009 to 2019 the numbers of abortions performed in Tennessee have steadily dropped.
In 2009, the total number of abortions performed in Tennessee was 17,474.
In 2010, 16,373.
In 2011, 16,115.
In 2012, 15,859.
In 2013, 14,216.
In 2014, 12,373.
In 2015, 11,411.
In 2016, 11,235.
In 2017, 10,810.
In 2018, 10,880.
Data from the Guttmacher Institute show higher estimated numbers for total abortions in selected years. In 2017, 12,140; in 2014, 13,880; in 2011, 16,720 but lower estimated abortion rates. In 2017, the CDC reported 11.7% of all pregnancies in Tennessee ended in abortion compared to Guttmacher’s 9.2%. Looking at total number of abortions performed in the U.S. in 2017, 1.4% took place in Tennessee. In that same year, there were a total of 8 abortion providers in the state. There are now just 6 providers in the state.
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If Roe vs Wade were ever overturned, abortion would become illegal in the state of Tennessee.
Other laws regarding abortion in Tennessee are as follows:
- A woman seeking an abortion must receive state-directed counseling about abortion in person and then wait 48 hours before the abortion takes place.
- Health plans offered in Tennessee’s health exchange cannot cover abortion.
- The use of telemedicine for the performance of medication abortion in Tennessee is prohibited.
- The parent of a minor seeking an abortion in Tennessee must give consent.
- Only in cases of life endangerment, rape or incest, is public funding available for abortion.
About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
