Russian Demographic Situation Worsening – Abortions Outstrip Births

MOSCOW, August 24, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Financial pressures are pushing Russian women to abortion at a much higher rate than was previously thought. For the first time, Russian abortions have exceeded births and the rate shows no sign of slowing in the perennially unstable Russian economy.

The economic situation for most in Russia is dire, and, says Vladimir Kulakov, vice president of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, the birth of a first child can push young couples into poverty. With a population half the size of the US, in 2004, Russian women had 24% more abortions than their American counterparts.

About 1.6 million women had an abortion last year, a fifth of them under the age of 18, and only about 1.5 gave birth, according to Kulakov.

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