By Andrew Kenny Donlan, Ph.D.
Few national policy issues are so politically charged as abortion, and few so polarize citizens concerned with good government, values and public policy. Many citizens passionately advocate policies that might reduce abortion rates, such as prohibiting late stage abortion. Yet many others argue as fervently that abortion should remain legal and accessible. Despite the intensity of the debate, few avenues appeal to partisans of opposing political orientations, and rates of unwanted pregnancy and abortion remain high relative to other industrialized nations. To many the opposing views seem irreconcilable, and the result is political stalemate with little hope of resolution.
Many voters seek assurances that policy proposals will succeed in achieving their intended aims; however, in some instances policy makers are charged to advance whatever legislative change may be readily attainable, regardless of efficacy. But initiatives developed ad hoc may undermine the intended aims, and cases of policy failures are not too rare. In other instances, the impact of legislation is merely benign without impact.
In a debate as emotional as that over abortion, there seems greater threat that public demands for legislative change will be based on the political inertia of the moment, and conceived with less forethought than is called for. Such considerations remind us of the imperative that policy change be crafted with due reflection. Accordingly, lessons of history and research may play an essential role in guarding society from the impulse to implement hastily conceived initiatives.
This paper introduces the strategy of early prevention to reduce unwanted pregnancy and abortion. This approach is research based and provides a novel opening for common ground. It differs from policies such as prohibition of abortion, which has been debated yet lacks support. And it differs from policies such as sex education, which too employs prevention, but has its operative action only after an adolescent's development (and risk profile for later life unwanted pregnancy) have been powerfully affected by factors already at play in early childhood.
The strategy of early prevention stands out somewhat in that it would proactively target risk factors for later unwanted pregnancy (and abortion) in an individual's childhood, before the many risk factors arising from early family experiences have a chance to so fully determine an individuals risk for later unwanted pregnancy.
The policy avenue of prevention in early childhood draws on evidence to a greater degree than is required of many policy proposals. Voluminous research indicates, with as much certainty as can be attained in the social sciences, that early childhood is a critical period in human development; in this period individuals are particularly susceptible to family influences on later life outcomes (such as social relationships and economic status). In particular, aspects of early family life such as parent-child interactions and socioeconomic status have been consistent predictors of later life outcomes.
Furthermore, research provides many instances of effective social policy interventions that target early childhood and that positively impact social and economic outcomes in later life such as social attachments to others and economic status. Examples of initiatives identified as effective include domestic violence prevention, high quality early education, parenting classes, family support through home visitation, and WIC. Many preventive interventions have been identified that yield long term societal benefits that can exceed by several factors the initial investment.
Such findings are of no small consequence for abortion; the social and economic outcomes they can influence are a pivotal part of the context in which a woman makes decisions about becoming a mother. A woman's support network and economic status have been linked to abortion and the reasons given for having an abortion. Related, studies indicate that poor women represent a disproportionate share of those that have elected to have an abortion. Early childhood experiences are a consistent risk factor for poverty and risky behavior later in adulthood.
These findings provide a strong foundation for the idea that social policy interventions that target early childhood could positively affect social and economic precursors of unwanted pregnancy and abortion. If children growing up in poverty and/or a conflictive family environment are at greater risk for unwanted pregnancy and abortion in adulthood, then it follows that policy initiatives designed to strengthen the early family experiences of children could be a sound strategy for preventing abortion.
In short, early prevention derives support from in three research areas. The first is the critical role of the early years of life. Research points to a rich array of ways that early life factors can influence later life outcomes. The second set of research points to the many early-preventive programs that have been found effective in influencing diverse socioeconomic and behavioral outcomes in later life. Moreover, there are many programs whose societal benefits are found to be much greater than the initial investment outlays. Finally, findings indicate that the many social and economic outcomes that prevention can influence are a pivotal part of the context in which a woman makes decisions about becoming a mother.
The strength of the theoretical and empirical foundation of the strategy of early prevention of abortion compares well to many popular policy proposals; accordingly, the prevention approach warrants attention as an important new line or research. Innumerable studies in the social sciences affirm in broad outlines the long-term benefits of early prevention, but no study identified has comprehensively synthesized relevant evidence from the pertinent literatures such as child development, sociology, abortion, and public policy. A new line of research should be spawned and supported.
In parallel, social science research and media ought to give attention to many policy options and scrutinize carefully claims that they will be successful in reducing abortion rates. Does parental notification reduce abortion rates? What about other strategies? Questions of the likely efficacy of policy proposals ought not go unexamined by national institutions of news and research.
Furthermore, activists and researchers drawn to just this or that insular policy avenue ought keep in mind that strategies that employ comprehensive and multifaceted interventions are often more effective than those using a narrower piecemeal approach. Early prevention may complement well other options such as public support to expecting mothers, limits on abortion where viable, and the advance of non-government and other initiatives have been effective.
Policy proposals of past decades addressing abortion have yielded doubtful consensus and uncertain policy impact. Strategies of early prevention are a promising alternative that may complement well other policy options, and should provide an opening to change the spirit of the debate over abortion. Equally important, in this policy avenue there is promise of positively impacting a multiplicity of social and economic outcomes in adult life, not just unwanted pregnancy and abortion.
Andrew K. Donlan, Ph.D. is a teacher and writer in Washington, D.C.