Alarming statistics about sex-selective abortion

According to a 2008 study by Columbia University economists Douglas Almond and Lena Edlund, the sex ratio for U.S.-born children of Chinese, Korean, and Asian-Indian parents favors boys.  Although the sex ratio for first-born children was normal (106 girls for every 100 boys), the ratio for second-born children was 100 girls for every 117 boys if the first child was a girl.  Based on these numbers, about 10% of the girls were eliminated.  According to their report, “The male bias is particularly evident for third children.  If there was no previous son, sons outnumbered daughters by 50%.”  For every 100 girls, there were 151 boys. 

On May 31, 2012, the U.S. House of Representatives failed to pass the Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act (PreNDA), a bill that would make it unlawful to perform or coerce a sex-selection abortion.  The vote was 246-168 in favor of the bill, but a two-thirds majority was required under the fast-track procedure that was utilized. 

75 percent of Texas’ delegates in the U.S. House of Representatives voted in favor of PreNDA.  Texas Congressman Pete Olson (R-Sugar Land 22nd) told Texas Right to Life, “While a large majority voted for the proposed bill, it is unfortunate and sad that it still fell short of the votes needed to pass. Partisan politics should never jeopardize the fate of human lives. Protecting innocent human life is a sacred responsibility and I will continue to do all that I can to protect the unborn.” 

In addition to President Barack Obama, Planned Parenthood was one of the main opponents to the bill.  The Huffington Post reported that “no Planned Parenthood clinic will deny a woman an abortion based on her reasons for wanting one, except in those states that explicitly prohibit sex-selective abortions (Arizona, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Illinois).”  So, Planned Parenthood supports abortion for any reason—even if the child is deemed to be the “wrong” sex.