I’d like to talk about the good and the bad concerning the state of abortions laws and prevalence of abortion in our state. Let me start with the good news.
The state of North Dakota has quite a few laws that protect preborn children. Some of the more significant North Dakota laws:
- Prohibit abortions beyond 20 weeks gestational age;
- Contain Informed Consent Requirements, such as telling the mother that “the abortion will terminate the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being”;
- Require a twenty-hour waiting period for the mother; and
- Require offering the mother an ultrasound (which often results in the child being saved).
Further, we just passed two laws this past legislative session which help reinforce our protection of preborn children: notification of potential chemical abortion reversal and a ban on dismemberment abortions. We also have a decidedly pro-life legislature and a pro-life Governor. Despite this, not all the news is good.
Let’s look at how North Dakota compares to other states regarding abortion statistics. Our state experiences roughly 1,200 abortions per year. That equates to a rate of 8 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15-44, and the rate has stayed pretty much the same for a number of years. That may seem low, but it means our state has only the 17th lowest abortion rate in the nation (i.e., there are 16 states with lower abortion rates). That puts us one-third the way down the list.
What’s my point? We have work to do in North Dakota, but we are perfectly positioned to further strengthen our pro-life stance. All the pieces are there. Now we just need the resolve and wisdom to do something about it, particularly with the current pro-life legislation sweeping the nation.
A verse I often quote is Daniel 11:32b, “The people who know their God shall stand firm and take action.” We know our God. He is a God of love, of life, and of justice. But now we need to wake up Christians. Wake up churches. Seize this opportunity. Now is the time to take action!
Sincerely,
Mark Jorritsma
President and Executive Director
I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore, choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days.
Deuteronomy 30:19b-20a