Planned Parenthood Received $1,622 in Gov't Funds for Each Abortion

By Paul Stanley, Christian Post Reporter Tuesday, January 08, 2013

The nation's largest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood, reports it received $542 million from government sources in 2011-2012 while performing 995,687 abortions from 2009-2011. In 2011 alone, its clinics performed 333,964 abortions.

When broken down on an approximate annual basis, that means Planned Parenthood receives around $1,622 in government funds per abortion. From a time perspective, it translates to one abortion every 94 seconds.

Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards, along with Board Chair Cecilia Boone addressed some of the challenges faced by the abortion giant in the past year, including the drama surrounding the Susan G. Komen Foundation's temporary withdrawal of support.

"The past year will also be remembered as one when Planned Parenthood faced some of its most daunting challenges in our history – and once again emerged stronger than ever," Richards and Boone wrote in their joint statement.

However, several pro-life organizations that consistently battle with Planned Parenthood were less enthusiastic about the group's perceived success, saying abortions are not a viable form of health care for women.

"While government subsidies to Planned Parenthood have reached an all-time high, so too has the number of lives ended by this profit-driven abortion business," said Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser. "Destroying nearly one million children in three years is not health care and does not reflect a concern for vulnerable women and girls. As Planned Parenthood's funding goes up, abortions increase and real health services for women go down."

Rep. Diane Black (R-Tenn.), a second term Congresswoman and former Tennessee State legislator who has battled the abortion provider for years, says the group's annual report is further proof that Congress needs to defund Planned Parenthood.

"As Planned Parenthood's federal funds reached an all-time high, so too did the number of abortions it provided, while its real health services for women continues to decline," Black said in a statement. "This report underscores the pressing need to cut off all federal funding for Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider in America. Abortions make up 92 percent of Planned Parenthood's pregnancy services, while prenatal care and adoption referrals account for less than 8 percent."

Since 2009, contraceptive services have dropped by 12 percent and cancer screening and prevention services have dropped by 29 percent.

Last Friday, Black and Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) reintroduced the Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act (H.R. 217) that would ensure Title X family planning grants are used for their intended purpose and not for abortion services. A number of pro-life groups are supporting the measure.

However, Planned Parenthood faces more legal challenges over the death of Chicago area resident Tonya Reaves, who died as a result of a botched abortion.

The lawsuit that was filed in Cook County Circuit Court, says the Planned Parenthood clinic "improperly performed" a procedure on Reaves and did not properly care for her, which led to her untimely death.

"A young woman has died an avoidable and death at the hands of Planned Parenthood, which appeared more interested in concealing the fatal complication than getting Tonya the care she needed to save her life. We simply cannot look the other way," noted Operation Rescue President Troy Newman in a statement to LifeNews. "We pray that between the lawsuits and the complaints, those responsible for this tragedy will be held legally accountable."

According to the lawsuit, no one in the clinic called 911 when it was obvious Reaves' life was in danger.