Total number of abortions also declines

Contact: Troy Newman, President, 316-841-1700; Cheryl Sullenger, Senior Policy Advisor, 316-516-3034; both with Operation Rescue, info@operationrescue.org

TOPEKA, Kansas, March 31 /Christian Newswire/ -- The Kansas Department of Health and Environment is reporting that the total number of abortions done in Kansas dipped in 2007, with the most remarkable decrease in late-term abortions. Those generally decreased by 23 percent while late abortions done after viability dropped 28 percent.

"We fully expected to see a dramatic drop in late-term abortions in Kansas due to the fact that late-term abortionist George Tiller closed his abortion mill to patients for a record 38 days last summer," said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. "We believe that closure was a result of a number of factors, including pressure from pro-life groups and criminal charges that were unexpectedly filed against him by the attorney general's office."

"We strongly believe in the power of prayer, and last year Operation Rescue hosted three major prayer events outside Tiller's abortion mill prior to the closure," said Newman. "We also aggressively brought pressure on Tiller's abortion business through our tireless investigations, which have exposed what we believe is criminal activity committed by his abortion staff. We publicly released our information and reported it to law enforcement, the legislature, and other disciplinary groups."

However, the statistics also show an unfortunate increase in the number of abortions done on women who reside in other states. Operation Rescue attributes this increase to the recent closure of several abortion clinics in nearby states.

"This is a good news, bad news situation," said Newman. "While we are grateful that dangerous abortion mills are closing around the nation, it is unfortunate that Kansas has become a magnet for child-killing. This only adds to Kansas's reputation of being the Nation's Abortion Capital."

Read KDH&E Abortion Reports

Operation Rescue is one of the leading pro-life Christian activist organizations in the nation.  Operation Rescue recently made headlines when it bought and closed an abortion clinic in Wichita, Kansas and has become the voice of the pro-life activist movement in America.  Its activities are on the cutting edge of the abortion issue, taking direct action to restore legal personhood to the pre-born and stop abortion in obedience to biblical mandates.