Recently, alarming data has been published, revealing a continuous increase in the number of voluntary terminations of pregnancy (abortions) in France. In 2024, 251,270 abortions were recorded, an increase of 7,000 cases compared to 2023. These figures, reported by the Directorate for Research, Studies, Assessment and Statistics (Drees), are a painful reminder of the distance that separates our society from the divine commandments. They bear witness to a profound spiritual crisis, where life, a sacred gift from God, is too often sacrificed on the altar of human convenience.
The increase in the number of abortions is not an isolated phenomenon. The Drees itself observes that "the rise in the number of abortions observed in 2022 and 2023 continues, after the low point observed in 2020 and 2021 notably due to the decrease in conceptions recorded during the Covid-19 pandemic." This trend is all the more concerning as the ratio between the number of abortions and the number of live births is also increasing, reaching 0.38 in 2024, compared to 0.28 in 2016. This means that for each group of births, the number of abortions is proportionally higher than before.
The rate of recourse to abortion per 1,000 women aged 15 to 49 reached 17.3 in 2024, compared to 16.8 in 2023. It is particularly high among women aged 25 to 29, with 29.8 abortions per 1,000 women. Young people under 20 show a lower rate than ten years ago, but this does nothing to diminish the gravity of the overall situation.
It is also notable that the practice of abortion is increasingly moving away from traditional hospital settings. In 2024, 45% of abortions were performed outside of healthcare establishments, with a predominance of the medical method, used for 80% of abortions. The growing role of independent midwives, who performed half of the abortions in private practice last year, is another facet of this evolution.
Faced with these realities, our Holy Mother the Church, faithful to her mission, can only forcefully and charitably recall the sacredness of all human life, from conception to natural death. Every conceived being is a soul created in the image and likeness of God, and its existence must be protected with the greatest vigilance. Papal teachings, throughout the centuries, have never deviated from this fundamental truth. The Popes have constantly reaffirmed the dignity of the human person and the sanctity of the family, the foundation of society.
In these times of profound confusion, where human law too often strays from divine law, we must pray unceasingly for the conversion of hearts and the return of our society to the eternal values of the Catholic faith. May the Sacred Heart of Jesus have mercy on us and guide us toward the light of Truth.