Consider the name of the organization, “Planned Parenthood.” Defining the words according to Webster…

Planned – “A method for achieving an end.”

Parenthood – “The state of being a parent.”

Combining the two words would suggest, ‘a method by which one becomes a parent.’ And yet, the bitter irony is that the institution of Planned Parenthood has the opposite objective in mind. Their goal is to actively intervene to prevent parenthood.

Stats on Abortions in America

Since the Dobbs decision in 2022, moving abortion decisions back to the states, there has been an INCREASE in the procedure rather than a decrease. In 2023, the US saw the highest rate of abortions in more than a decade, jumping 10% over 2020 in percent per women ages 15-44 (details here) according to CNN.  Since Dobbs stopped abortions in 14 states, this has meant that those states which allow the procedure have seen a 25% increase from 2020, totaling over 1 million terminations in 2023. And, this increasing trend continues with 2024, with first quarter results showing an average of 98,990 abortions per month (details here). Many believe this jump is partially due to an increase in medical abortions (i.e. non-surgical) which now represent over 63% of those performed.

Opinions on Abortions in America

According to Statista (details here), since the Dobbs decision, there has been a measurable change in American morality regarding abortions. Over a one-year period pro-choice has gained ground. In 2024, 54% of Americans were pro-choice (52% in 2023) while 41% were pro-life (down from 44% in 2023).

Planned Parenthood

From the Planned Parenthood website

The home page of their website (details here) is a picture of a mom and daughter with a large tagline, “Book an Appointment … STD testing, birth control, abortion, and more, in-person and online.” Below that in large letters are the words, “Need an abortion? We’re here to help. Learn more about how to find abortion providers and resources to help you get a safe, legal abortion.“

A press release on the website, dated August 26, 2024, states from their own research of 2,205 US adults, “Nearly 8 in 10 Americans view Planned Parenthood favorably” (details here).

Planned Parenthood Annual Report

The 2023 annual report, released in March of 2024, discloses abortion data only from 2022. In the year 2022, Planned Parenthood performed 392,715 abortions, an increase of 5% from 2021. Further, abortions represented 97.1% of their “pregnancy resolution services.” They performed 228 abortions for every adoption referral (details here).

Planned Parenthood Financials

With over $2.5 billion in assets, Planned Parenthood showed revenue of $2.1 billion in 2023. Taxpayer funding of the organization from all forms of government reimbursements totaled nearly $700 million, which totaled 34% of their total revenue. Since 2010, government support for the institution has increased 43% (details here).

Planned Parenthood Other Revenue Sources

Beyond abortions, Planned Parenthood sells aborted baby body parts, provides “gender affirming hormone therapy,” and is an advocacy group promoting congressional bills such as making condoms available for kids as young as preschool (condom vending machines) in the state of Maryland (details here and here).

Outlook for Future Governmental Support for Planned Parenthood

On the list of Trump’s campaign promises in 2016 was that he would “defund it because I’m pro-life.” Congress voted in 2017 to remove funding, which was defeated in the Senate. In 2024, J.D. Vance responded that the Trump administration continued to hold the view that the new “Trump administration would defund Planned Parenthood” (details here).  However, in his recent address to Congress, Trump listed a number of DOGE abuses, but excluded any reference regarding the removal of government support for the organization.

It would seem hard to reconcile how the Hyde Amendment, which has been on the books for decades (revoked in 2022 by Biden) and enacted to “prevent Federal funding of elective abortion”) is seemingly being sidelined by the current administration, even though in late January of 2025, Trump published an executive order (details here) that expressed a willingness to enforce the ruling. This amendment is not codified law but is a “rider” to annual congressional appropriations bills. Under the new Republican majority in both the House and Senate, there may be an opportunity to establish a permanent law that failed in 2017 during Trump’s last term in office.

Finally, with the states taking over control of abortion rights and, to date, the Federal government not choosing to enforce the Hyde Amendment, there is a lawsuit that will be heard by the Supreme Court, Median v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic. It will establish whether a state can defund Planned Parenthood.

A Biblical Christian Worldview

A recent peer-reviewed study on the motivation behind abortions in America noted that the vast majority of respondents had an abortion because (1) they were not financially prepared, (2) it was not a good time, (3) they had issues with partner, (4) they needed to focus on other children, and (5) it interfered with future plans (details here).

Each of us are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). The Lord knew us before we were even formed in the womb (Jeremiah 1:5). Abortion is murder, “the killing of a human being created in the image of God” (Genesis 9:5-6). However, we live in a gray world where often times, we are forced to choose the “lesser of evils.” However, as a thoughtful reflection on underlying reasons for considering abortion (paragraph directly above) abortion decisions should not revolve around convenience.