Columbus - Reported abortions have never been fewer in the state of Ohio, according to the latest report released by the Ohio Department of Health. The 2011 Abortion Report reveals not only a new all time low in the number of abortions, but also one of the largest decreases in state recorded history, dropping by 12 percent (3,359 abortions) since 2010. Tragically 24,764 abortions were still performed in the state of Ohio in 2011, with African American women representing disproportioned number of abortions in Ohio’s largest metro areas.

“As a pro-life African American, I hold that abortion is a stain on the fabric of our community,” said Ohio Right to Life’s new Executive Director Rev. John Coats. "The rise of abortions performed on African American women is a result of manipulative and divisive messaging from extreme proabortion organizations like Planned Parenthood.”

Less than 10 percent of Ohioans are African American women, yet nearly 40 percent of all Ohio abortions are performed upon them. The highest numbers are found in Cuyahoga County (Cleveland) where 3,495 abortions were performed upon African-American women in 2011, more than doubling the number performed upon white women in the same area.

The report is representative of the advocacy of Ohio Right To Life and the entire pro-life movement. The 2011 Abortion Report shows what government, churches, and concerned advocates can accomplishtogether. The overall state decrease gives us hope that, with meaningful relationships within the African American community, abortions will also decline substantially among African- American Women.

The 2011 Ohio Abortion Report demonstrates that of all abortions:

• The majority occur in the metropolitan areas of Cuyahoga County at 36 percent, Franklin at 23 percent, and Hamilton at 18 percent; • 49 percent were performed upon young women and girls under the age of 24; • 85 percent occur during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy; • 46 percent were performed upon Ohio residents who have previously had an abortion.

“Our mission at Ohio Right to Life is to protect and defend women and children,” said Coats. “Our goal is to use the Abortion Report to help us change hearts and minds to impact our culture positively for life and this goal will extend even deeper within the African- American community within the near future.”

Ohio Right to Life, an affiliate of the National Right to Life Committee, is a statewide, nonprofi t, non-sectarian educational organization. For more than 40 years, Ohio Right to Life continues to experience success in its mission to promote and protect life due to its dedicated board members, executive staff and affiliated chapters located throughout the state.