Until now pro-abortion groups have opposed state and federal bans against sex selective abortions by simply denying they exist, for instance Jezebel only six days ago:

[I]n the U.S., there’s no evidence or noteworthy numbers to indicate that women are having abortions based on the sex of the infant….

Apparently, abortion industry leaders have decided they can no longer carry on the ruse. Public opinion is so persuaded against sex-selective abortion, the other side must have decided they have to enter the conversation in order to remain players and try to influence the outcome.

The first to fall was Guttmacher Institute in its Spring 2012 Policy Review, published sometime after May 1:

There is some evidence – although limited and inconclusive – to suggest that the practice may also occur among Asian communities in the United States….

[T]wo studies using 2000 U.S. census data to examine sex ratios among Chinese-, Indian- and Korean-American families found that although the ratio for first-born children in such families was normal, there was evidence of son preference in second- and third-order births, if the older children were daughters.

Then yesterday fell RH Reality Check:

Son preference, missing girls, sex selection: We may seek to label these Chinese or Indian issues, but they exist here in America. And with anti-choice crusaders desperate to destroy Planned Parenthood Federation of America, America’s leading provider of affordable reproductive health care for women, the purportedly spreading practice of sex-selective abortion is back in the news….

However, as birth order rises, apparently so does selection – at least, in certain ethnic groups. With U.S. 2000 Census data, researchers investigating Korean, Chinese, and Indian communities found that, after one girl, parents have as many as 1.17 boys per girl the second time. With two girls at home, this goes up to 1.51 boys per girl for the third child. These skewed ratios aren’t present among other ethnic groups in America.

Finally, NARAL in an email alert and petition drive launched today conceded:

Sex-Selection abortion is a real problem – and it needs to be addressed.

Of course, none of these groups think sex-selective abortions should be banned. But what is it they say, acknowledging a problem is the first step toward solving it?

[Graphic via RH Reality Check]

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