US Abortion Rate Lowest Since 1976

novy.

Posted to Etcetera on Mon Jan 21, 2008 at 12:07:39 PM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.

There were 1.2 million abortions performed in US in 2005, latest year for which records have become available. That was fewer abortions than in any year since 1976. Number of US abortions dropped 9% between 2000 and 2005, and dropped 25% since 1990.

Figures come from report published by Guttmacher Institute, which conducts reproductive-health research, in its report in March issue of "Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health". This report has been widely characterised by people on both sides of abortion debate as most comprehensive ever done because it includes figures from California, which does not collect abortion data for federal surveys.

Two major reasons have been given for this decline. Access to contraception, including emergency contraception like Plan B has become easier, perhaps leading to fewer unwanted pregnancies. Fewer abortion clinics may also account for these numbers: 87% of US counties (where 35% of all women live) have no abortion provider. Number of abortion providers has only dropped by 2% since 2000, although many abortion providers no longer perform surgical abortions, only providing patients with French abortion pill RU-486 early in pregnancies. 13% of all US abortions result from use of RU-486. If clinics which only provide RU-486 were not counted as abortion providers, numbers of clinics would have declined by 8% rather than 2%. Abortion rates vary widely around US. Northeast has higher rates, South and Midwest have lower rates. District of Columbia has highest rate. Proportion of pregnancies ending in abortion also declined, falling from 24.5% in 2000 to 22.4% in 2005 from 1983 high of 30.4%.

Both sides of abortion debate took credit for declines. Planned Parenthood representative Cecile Richards said "This study shows that prevention works, and that's what we provide in our health centers every day. Planned Parenthood knows from daily experience that the best way to continue the downward trend is with policies that expand access to health care and real information. At the end of the day, Americans of all stripes believe that we need to do more to prevent unintended pregnancy and make health care affordable and accessible." Randall K. O'Bannon of National Right to Life Committee said "It's still a massive number, but it's moving in the right direction," adding that changing attitudes may be responsible: "Even look at Hollywood [citing 'Juno']. More and more people are starting to reconsider their positions."