abortion rates lowest in 40 years

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2/26/2014 Abortion rates lowest in 40 years - CNN.com

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More abortions are being performed in the first nine w eeks of pregnancy using medications like RU-486, according to the report.

(CNN) -- Abortion rates in the United States are at their lowest in 40years, acco rding to a ne w report f rom the Guttmacher Institute.

In 2011, the U.S. abortion r ate was 16.9 abortions pe r every 1,000women aged 15 to 44, the lowest it's been since abortion waslegalized in 1973 .

Between 2008 and 2011, the abortion rate fell 13%, resuming thedownward trend that had stalled between 2005 and 2008.

Abortion rates stall after decade-long decline

"The decline in abortions coincided with a steep national drop inoverall pregnancy and birth rates," Rachel Jones, lead author of thestudy, said in a statement. "Contraceptive use improved during thisperiod. ... Moreover, the recent recession led many women andcouples to want to avoid or delay pregnancy and childbearing."

The study, " Abortion Incidence and Service Availability in the United

States, 2011 ," is available online and will be published in the Marchissue of the journal Perspectives on Sexual and ReproductiveHealth.

As Jones said, several variables affect abor tion rates, including theeconomy, access to contraception and the availability of abortionservices.

The pregnancy rate is the lowest it has been in 12 years. It'spossible that since there were fewer overall pregnancies, there werealso fewer unintended pregnancies during this time period. Bothcould be attributed to an uptick in more effective contraception use,the study authors say.

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Abortion rates lowest in 40 yearsBy Jacque Wilson , C NNupdated 12:47 PM EST, Mon February 3, 2014

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Abortion rates are at their lowest since 1973 w hen it waslegalized

Between 2008 and 2011, theabortion rate fell 13%

Several variables affect abortionrates, including the economy andaccess to contraception

"3,000 unborn children are stillkilled every day," National Rightto Life says

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U.S. women having fewer children

Previous studies have shown that offering free contraception towomen may prevent abortions . Longer-term methods, such asintrauterine devices, are as much as 20 times more effective atpreventing unintended pregnancies than methods that requireconstant action, such as the birth control pill or vaginal ring.

"Access to a range of birth control methods is playing an importantrole in reducing unintended pregnancy and decreasing the need for abortion," Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood

Federation of America, said in a statement. "This report comes justas some politicians and corporations are trying to make it harder for women to get birth control by chipping away at the historic benefit inthe Affordable Care Act that requires insurance plans to cover birthcontrol without a copay."

Women's access to certain types of abortion providers also matters,the study authors say. In 2011, abortion clinics represented just19% of facilities offering abortion services. Yet clinics performedapproximately 63% of the procedures. The researchers concludedthat "the number of clinics in particular may be a more importantindicator of access than the total number of providers."

The total number of abortion providers declined 4% between 2008and 2011, according to the study. The number of clinics declined1% nationwide, with much higher rates of decline in Arkansas,Idaho, Kansas, Oklahoma and Vermont, which each lost one clinic.

Although one clinic closure may seem insignificant, it may havecontributed to the larger-than-average decline in the abortion ratesin Kansas and Oklahoma, the study authors say.

Study: '16 and Pregnant' led to fewer teen births

An estimated 239,400 ear ly medication abortions were performed in2011, 20% more than in 2008. The vast majority -- 98% -- weredone using Mifepristone, more commonly known as RU-486.Mifepristone was approved in 2000 in the United States. It is used toblock the hormone progesterone in women who are up to nineweeks pregnant.

"Heavy promotion of RU-486 and chemical abortions has really hadan impact," Randall K. O'Bannon, director of education andresearch with the National Right to Life Committee, told CNN in2011. "(Women) would consider abortion when they might notconsider it before."

National Right to Life recently released its own report on "The Stateof Abortion in the United States," which states that more than "3,000unborn children are still killed every day." The anti-abortionorganization says the recent drop in the abortion rate can beattributed to legislative efforts at the state and federal levels.

"Abortion remains widely available. But after years of being told thatabortion was 'the best choice' or 'their only choice,' women arelearning that there are alternatives to abortion that affirm their livesand the lives of their children," President Carol Tobias said in astatement. "The bottom line is simple: the right-to-life movement issucceeding because even after 41 years and more than 56 millionabortions, the conscience of our nation knows that killing unbornchildren is wrong."

Abortion Fast Facts

Between 2008 and 2010, 44 laws related to abortion wereimplemented in 18 states, according to the report. Most did not likelyhave an effect on the abortion rate, the study authors say, but a fewmay have. For example, a new law in Missouri that requires awoman to attend an in-person counseling session 24 hours before

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an abortion may have attributed to the state's 17% decline.

An additional 62 laws related to abortion were passed in 2011. Mostdid not go into effect until October, the study authors say, so it'sunlikely they had an effect on the report's numbers. However, theymay contribute to a change in abortion rates in the future.

"Over the past three years, we have seen an unparalleled attack onabortion rights at the state level, and these new restrictions aremaking it harder for women to access services and for providers tokeep clinic doors open," Elizabeth Nash, state issues manager at

Guttmacher, said in a press release.

"As we monitor trends in abortion going forward, it is critical that wealso monitor whether these state restrictions are preventing womenwho need abortion services from accessing them."

Opinion: Let's get real about abortions

The Guttmacher Institute study does have its limitations. The studyauthors were unable to get in touch with every abortion provider,and some providing early medication abortions may have beenmissed.

"As welcome as news of this decline is, more information is needed,"said Chuck Donovan, president of the Charlotte Lozier Institute."The Guttmacher data is based on completely voluntary reporting byabortion providers. Until we have consistent reporting requirements,inclusive of states with high abortion rates and gathered by publiclyaccountable bodies, we cannot begin to paint a complete picture of U.S abortion trends."

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abortion rates lowest in 40 years

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