Recession linked to more abortions, vasectomies
By Jason Buckland, Sympatico / MSN Finance
Yesterday in this space, we discussed how abandoned swimming pools – left untended by mass home foreclosures – were becoming havens for disease-spreading mosquitoes, a cruel sign of just how the recession is still affecting us.
It offered an interesting angle on the downturn, at least, and here – so does this.
Several news agencies have reported poor economic times have caused couples to rethink parenthood, resulting in a staggering spike in the instance of abortions and vasectomies.
While there isn’t any immediately available data to support the claims, there’s some pretty damning anecdotal evidence floating about should you choose to question the idea.
According to Reuters, phones at the U.S.’ National Abortion Federation have been “ringing off the hook” recently, thousands of women reportedly on the other end of the line seeking information on the procedure due to the unstable economy.
“We are currently getting more calls from women who report that they or their partner have recently lost their job,” said the federation’s president, “and we are also hearing from more women facing eviction.”
Men, too, appear to be evaluating fatherhood with an increased level of uncertainty these days. The frequency of vasectomies is said to have shot up in the past six months, a time period in which urologists have noticed an uncommon drop in the number of men seeking vasectomy reversals, as well.
“Many (men) are afraid that they are going to lose their jobs and their health insurance,” said Lawrence Ross, the American Urological Association’s former president. “So while they are covered, a lot more patients, it pushed them over the edge to get it done more quickly.”
Not surprisingly, you can find no shortage of media ready to bash this trend, eager to fire with the requisite Hell In A Handbasket argument and lambast the world for its shameful irresponsibility.
Yet at least one blogger says abortions – in a recession – are a good thing. If you can get past her contentious opening, the author actually makes some decent points that need to be tossed into any relevant discussion.
Controversial story? Yeah, you bet, and I won’t even try to offer an opinion on the matter. You guys tell me what’s right here.
Posted by: philippe | Apr 28, 2021 1:45:08 PM
They speak of vasectomy and vasectomy reversals as if it was a garden hose. The truth is that if you keep your balls cut off long enough... there is a high probability that a reversal will not work...
You do not know what is ahead... your wife might have an affair with a public servent and RCMP will keep you quiet with taser...
You might endup in a new relationship with a beautifull young woman who wants children !
Posted by: amanda | Apr 28, 2021 2:51:17 PM
Yes my husband and i are hold back we want a baby but have been together for 8years and just bought a house last november and with all the new expense with that right now we fear getting pregnant will make up the difference between stay afloat or going bankrupt my job has slowed to 4 days a week since January and the economic slow has just started to effect the husband as a apprentice millwright.
Posted by: shelley | Apr 28, 2021 4:04:42 PM
Good thing or bad thing?? I'd say that as long as it is legal it's completely up to the individual as to what is the best for them.. For society? I'd say children raised in a stable and safe environment is the best thing and if that means that more people should have abortions or vasectomies? then so be it.. There are already too many children in the adoption program as it is.. We don't need to add to that number.
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Posted by: Hina | Apr 28, 2021 5:14:56 PM
I think it is better not to bring a child in this world if you can't give them a stable upbrining. So good for those people who are thinking ahead of it and acting accordingly. But their is a vast majority who don't care what kind of hell they are in but still bring more children into that hell.
I have seen that the worse off people are more children they will have. It is true of so many developing countries i.e. Africa, India, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Indonesia and many more and of poor people in developed countries. On top of that relief agencies i.e. World Vision ask people for donations to provide for necessities to these people but do nothing to control their population. As a result, we keep sending our hard earned money to support people who keep having more and more children and ask for more and more help.
I think it is time something should be done about it. All countries with population problem should try to control their population. Otherwise, we, human beings will destroy this planet in no time by cutting more trees for housing and agriculture and by polluting it with our luxury life style.
Posted by: Gavin | Apr 28, 2021 10:22:07 PM
If such statistics are true, then it only reflects the rational choices of people considering what is best for them and their families. It is certainly true that contraception is preferable to terminating pregnancies, if only to preserve the health of the uterus for future reproduction. Obviously, in times of economic uncertainty all family planning options must be considered and made available by the state. If such planning leads to a drop in population growth, then market capitalism will have to evolve to meet these challenges. The idea that economies will continue to expand as if the earth was capable of supporting infinite material growth is as much a delusion as the idea that there is a god in the sky answering your prayers. Anyone who applies their wonderfully evolved powers of rational thought here can see that these results are not at all surprising and certainly should not be controversial. These statistics simply show people behaving rationally, and in a way that is ultimately beneficial for our planet.
Posted by: Guildcompounder | Apr 28, 2021 11:25:16 PM
Don't let it occur that the economic failure was an engineering of a lower birth rate.
Birth taxes are a better, fairer, way to lower the human population.
They should be geometrically applied:
1st child: $10 000 tax
2nd child: $100 000 tax
3rd child: $1 000 000 tax
...
The world's human population should be cut to a billion.
Partly because there is only one leading edge which cannot advance any faster with a larger population.
Mostly because recurrent famine produces useless populations and political and economic failure. Not to mention the inconvenience of famine.
Is this the real scope of the incessant environmental arguments? Because all the tinkering with controls in the world will do nothing to save the environment if the human population continues to grow.
It would be interesting to see if population control could be done globally. Another reason for succeeding economically.
Posted by: mcshane | Apr 29, 2021 6:04:00 AM
Guildcompounder...Western countries are NOT having enough children, Canada, Europe and Japan have aging societies, birth rates fall, we have fewer children and more and more grandparents. For a stable country, no growth no decline you need a fertility rate of 2.1 live births per woman. That is what America has, Canada has 1.48....hence we have massive immigration and will continue this trend. Just to remain the same we need 2.1 babies per woman. The global fertility leaders are: Niger 7.6 babies per woman, Mali 7.4, Somalia 6.7, Afghanistan 6.6, Yemen 6.5. The tax revenues that support the growing numbers of elderly and retired need to be paid by growing numbers of the young and working...When Canadians no longer have children (too expensive) where does our workforce come from? We have outsourced our entire future to the third world. Canadians should be PAID to have children. A family of four earning $100,000 should have that income divided by 4 and tax paid on $25,000, more children less tax...incentives to start a family!!!
Look up demographics, world population will peak at about 2050 and then fall. Birth rates in the over populated parts of the world are 2.9 and falling...Canada has chosen to outsource its breeding...Our second biggest immigrant base comes from North Africa and the Mid East...Nice one eh?
Posted by: Christine | May 1, 2021 11:26:17 PM
Abortion and vascetomies are not rational --they are totally selfish. The concern is not for the child that may be conceived but the trauma and expense to the parents. Look to China to see the difficulties they will be in in the future because of the inverse ratio of their populations ages. Of course, if we know why we are here in the first place, we'd think to thank our parents for allowing us the privilege of birth.
Posted by: shelley | May 6, 2021 6:34:07 PM
How is a vasectomy selfish??? I get the whole argument that abortion is, don't agree, but fine.. BUt the comment that a vasectomy is selfish just bumfuzzles me.. abortion implies that a child has been conceived.. a vasectomy implies nothing of the sort..
And you hit it right on the head, birth is a privilege.. not a right.. And there are too many people who need that privilege revoked.
Posted by: Michele | May 6, 2021 10:37:37 PM
For Christians & those who believe in God: Interesting how it was the original blessing of God to be "fruitful and multiply", yet in our society, we're convinced it's a curse. (Children = burden)
For Atheists and Agnostics: If this is it, why not check out and just take one for the team? Perhaps you have a useless relative you could bump off to help out with the world's so-called problems?
I am as guilty of selfishness as the next person, but let's admit we are in trouble because we have our priorities screwed up and have abused our free will. And, if you don't believe we have free will, then why worry? ( Free Will = the choice between what is good and beautiful and true, and that which is not)