LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Michigan Democrats have had many political victories in the state – victories in what they call “choice” “health care” and “reproductive freedom” while others call it “abortion” and “murder.”

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The Democrats won a voter referendum in November of 2022 which codified abortion rights and other reproductive health services into the state constitution. The referendum for “Reproductive Freedom for All” (Proposal 3) passed overwhelmingly with 56.66% of the vote.

Additionally, Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, with the help of bipartisan legislation in April, also repealed the state’s 1931 law banning abortion which had no exceptions for rape or incest. Both before and after the gubernatorial campaign, Gov. Whitmer has promised to “fight like Hell” for abortion rights in Michigan. That fight hasn’t yielded a large increase of abortions in Michigan though. At least not yet.

According to the state’s data on induced abortions, in 2021 Michigan reported 30,074 abortions performed. New state data for 2022 shows that there has only been a 0.2 percent increase with 30,120 abortions performed in Michigan (with state residents receiving 90.8 percent of those abortions.)

The data also shows that in 2022, less than half of the resident women receiving abortions had no previous induced abortions. The state’s vital records and health statistics coming out of the Michigan Dept. of Health & Human Services (MDHHS) says, “In general, from 1985 through 2022, a gradual increase has been observed with the proportion of women reporting two or more induced abortions, going from 14.6 percent in 1985 to 26.4 percent in 2022. The proportion of women who had no previous induced abortion has generally declined, falling from 59.5 percent in 1985 to 49.0 percent in 2022.”

Other abortion stats from the MDHHS show that in 2022, 85.4 percent of the Michigan women who obtained an abortion were not married; 35.0 percent of Michigan residents receiving abortions were under 25 years of age, while 7.9 percent were younger than 20 years old.

Information on the race of the woman obtaining an abortion was collected for the first time in 2003. In 2011, Hispanic ancestry was first collected. Of the Michigan residents receiving abortions in 2022, 54.0 percent were black, 35.9 percent were white, 2.3 percent as other, 2.0 percent were Multiracial, 1.9 percent were Asian/Pacific Islander, and 0.6 percent were American Indian. In 2022, 4.1 percent of the women obtaining an abortion were of Hispanic ancestry.

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By county, Wayne had the most abortions (10,641), followed by Oakland (3,546), Macomb (3,005), and Oakland (3,546).

Among all abortions reported in 2022 in Michigan (including both residents and non‑residents), 87.5 percent involved pregnancies of 12 weeks or less.

Medical (non-surgical) and suction are the two most frequent procedures with 51.8 percent and 40.8 percent respectively among all abortions reported in Michigan. Starting in 2014, the proportion of abortions performed in freestanding clinics increased from 25.1 percent (2013) to 43.9 percent (2014) and 86.3 percent in 2022.

Although abortions in Michigan only saw a slight increase, the future is expected by some to have striking increases with the Democrats and Gov. Whitmer making the state an abortion haven for women in other states who have more restrictive abortion laws.

In 2021, state residents accounted for 94.5 percent of the abortions performed. In 2022, as stated above, that number shrank to 90.8 percent. In 2021, those out-of-state residents came mostly from Ohio, with abortion tourists also flooding in from Indiana, Texas, Wisconsin, Illinois and Kentucky. No stats were given on this for 2022.

With the Supreme Court striking down Roe v. Wade with the Dobbs decision, Michigan democrats in the legislature along with Whitmer are continuing to push pro-abortion measures in the state. One such measure concerns informed consent.

According to Michigan Right to Life, informed consent and abortion clinic regulations are on the chopping block in the state. More restrictive abortion laws could be repealed with pro-abortion legislators wanting to move quickly. Michigan Right to Life says these measure would be done to expand abortion and aid Planned Parenthood so it can continue as the nation’s largest abortion provider.

The Informed Consent for Abortion Law requires abortionists to give women information about what abortion procedure they will have, the name of the doctor, line drawings of the gestational age of their unborn baby, other options to abortion like adoption, and at least one day to review the material (24-hour waiting period).

Michigan Right to Life says in a statement that under the informed consent law, the physician must also confirm the woman’s pregnancy, provide a written summary describing abortion, risks, alternatives, and risks of full term pregnancy. A woman must give written consent and be informed of her right to withhold or withdraw consent and the physician must provide the woman with a copy of the signed consent form.

The American Medical Association’s own Code of Medical Ethics says “Informed consent to medical treatment is fundamental in both ethics and law.” The current informed consent regulations for abortion in Michigan were developed by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) in consultation with medical professionals and enforced by every past administration, regardless of political persuasion. To those who claim that this law burdens women and forces them to make two trips to the abortion facility within 24 hours, Michigan Right to Life says this is simply not accurate as women can access and sign the materials at home and then go to their appointment.

Michigan Right to Life says in their statement, “Health and safety regulations are just as important. Clinic regulations require hallways to be a certain length in case emergency responders need to access the patient. The regulations also require a certain amount of staff and physicians to be present. These are all common sense and for the benefit of the woman. Our Governor, several legislators, and the media have set their sights on repealing these laws. To make their case to the court of public opinion, meaning you, they have labeled informed consent and clinic regulations as ‘TRAP’ laws. The term ‘TRAP Law’ was created by pro-abortion apologists who wanted to create sympathy for abortion providers. The term does not accurately describe the reality of these common-sense laws but it is important to be aware of this term as it is being circulated to the public in hopes of fooling you.”