Twelve.
That's the number. That's how many surgical abortions there were in Indiana during October 2023.
It was 794 every month throughout 2022. For the first seven months of 2023, it was 644. Then in August, it dropped to 355. September, it dropped to 13.
And in October, the number of total surgical abortions committed in the state of Indiana was 12.
Following the landmark Dobbs decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in June of 2022, several legislatures moved quickly to return their states to the bans or strict limitations on the practice of abortion that existed before the infamous judicial overreach of Roe v. Wade struck them all down, precipitating a national bloodbath of innocent children.
Indiana was one of those states, enacting a law that, after legal challenges, took effect on August 21st. The law stripped all abortion clinics of their licenses, and permitted abortions to take place only in hospitals or hospital-owned surgical centers for a narrow list of exceptional cases. It further required a healthcare provider who commits an abortion in the Hoosier state to file a terminated-pregnancy report with the state within 30 days.
According to their annual report, the Indiana Department of Health received just 355 terminated pregnancy reports in August of this year, marking a staggering 66% decrease from the year prior. The decline only accelerated through September and in October, the first month that took place completely under the new 30-day reporting window, the IDOH reported just 12 acts of legal feticide in the state.
Of course, there are stipulations to note, and I freely acknowledge each of them. First, the number 12 is still too high. Twelve precious souls had their unalienable right to life ripped from them in the most violent way imaginable and that is both disgraceful and lamentable.
Second, it is highly probable that abortionists are still committing the act in the shadowy corners of the state. Those whose conscience permits them to dismember healthy humans in the womb for profit aren't the type to be morally dissuaded by a law. Abortion is a wicked act, and there are far greater motivations to commit wicked acts than the legal pursuit of financial remuneration. So yes, I'm sure that number is slightly higher.
Third, this number accounts only for surgical abortions, and chemical abortions (the dangerous, "take a pill and face the bloody consequences alone at home" approach) are the emerging preference of the Planned Parenthood crowd.
Further, with the Chicago-run state of Illinois neighboring the Hoosier state to the west, there are undoubtedly a number of "Indiana abortions" that now occur across the border. The inconvenience will have a significant impact, but won't deter every abortion-minded individual. Women may also be sourcing "Plan B" pills that are killing an unknown number of babies.
Finally, it's important to acknowledge that physical or legal limitations do not change the heart. The ultimate objective of Christians like myself is to see the hearts of men conformed to the character and will of Christ - one that is self-sacrificial and that celebrates the dignity and worth of every being that bears the image of the Father. No Supreme Court decision, no congressional action, no carefully crafted state statute is going to accomplish that. Only the work of the Holy Spirit will turn us from our prideful self-worship. Conveying His glory, His redemption, His better way … that intimidating work certainly remains for us in our morally backwards culture.
So with all those qualifications, why is that number 12 such a cause for celebration among the reasonable and godly among us? Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. explained it best in his 1966 convocation speech at Illinois Wesleyan University:
It may be true that morality cannot be legislated but behavior can be regulated. It maybe true that the law cannot change the heart but it can restrain the heartless. It may be true that the law cannot make a man love me, religion and education will have to do that, but it can restrain him from lynching me. And I think that's pretty important also. And so that while legislation may not change the hearts of men, it does change the habits of men.
