Can someone explain the benefits of outlawing abortion?

In the 49 years Roe v. Wade was in place, the crime rate in the U.S. plummeted, the overall standard of living went up, more people were educated, technology advanced, and women and minorities enjoyed greater equality. The U.S. also became the sole superpower. You can argue that none of these were related to abortion, but that suggests abortion has no effect on anything. Some of the negative outcomes of outlawing abortion could be:

Increase in the maternal death rate for women who needed abortions for their own health-related reasons
Increase in the infant death rate for children with genetic defects who otherwise would have been aborted
increase in abandoned children and "dumpster babies"
Increase in poverty and child abuse of unwanted children
Growth of a black market in abortion, from "back alley" clinics, drug dealers selling abortion pills, and legitimate doctors performing abortions for their patients
Lower birth rates as more women opt for sterilization out of fear that they won't be able to have an abortion if they need one

So what are the benefits? I'm not looking for abstract platitudes like "increased respect for life" or other vague pronouncements. Abortion is illegal in Guatemala, but I wouldn't point to that country as one where life is respected. I'm asking for specific, concrete benefits. This may be difficult as countries where abortion is illegal tend to have less individual liberty and prosperity than countries where it's legal or at least easily accessible (for example, abortion is illegal in Malta, but Maltese women have an abortion rate similar to other EU countries because they simply go to Italy for their abortions).

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MartinII · 70-79, M

In other words, you are missing the point.

JPWhoo · 36-40, M

@MartinII Enlighten us then, what is the point?

LeopoldBloom · M

@MartinII What point, that Congress should pass a law that a majority of Americans don't want?

MartinII · 70-79, M

@LeopoldBloom No, that abortion is a moral issue.

JPWhoo · 36-40, M

@MartinII So? So morally we shouldn’t care how our policies make society better or worse?

LeopoldBloom · M

@MartinII I agree. Outlawing abortion is immoral. I’m asking if there are any benefits to outlawing it despite the immorality of doing so.

MartinII · 70-79, M

@LeopoldBloom Some people think that abortion is immoral, especially at a late term. That's the difficulty in trying to decide what the law should say on the subject. And in my opinion, it's a good thing to try to understand both points of view.

LeopoldBloom · M

@MartinII Late term abortions are less than one-half of 1% of the total number. They always involve situations where either the mother will not survive giving birth or the fetus is severely deformed. These are in all cases babies that were very much wanted. No woman walks into a clinic as the baby is crowning and demands an abortion because its hair is the wrong color. These are all tragic situations that should be decided by the woman and her doctor without government interference. So I don't support any time limits on abortion whatsoever.

People are free to think abortion is immoral, but that doesn't mean they can impose that opinion on others. If you don't like abortion, don't have one.

MartinII · 70-79, M

@LeopoldBloom I agree with your last paragraph. I'm not sure that all late-term abortions are as you describe, and of course it depends what you mean by late. But taking your example, why is termination at, say, 28 or 30 weeks acceptable, but immediate post-natal termination not?