Report: Abortions at lowest number since 1974

NEW YORK (AP) -- The number of abortions in the United States dropped to 1.2 million in 2005, the lowest level since 1974 and down 25 percent from the all-time high of 1.6 million in 1990, according to report issued Thursday.

The Guttmacher Institute, which surveyed abortion providers nationwide, said there probably were several reasons for the decline, including more effective use of contraceptives, lower levels of unintended pregnancy, and greater difficulty obtaining abortions in some parts of the country.

The institute's president, Sharon Camp, noted that despite the decline, more than one in five pregnancies ended in abortion in 2005.

"Our policy-makers at the state and federal levels need to understand that behind virtually every abortion is an unintended pregnancy, so we must redouble our efforts towards prevention, through better access to contraception," Camp said.

The Guttmacher Institute supports abortion rights, yet both sides in the debate on the issue consider its abortion surveys the most comprehensive in the United States because they encompass California, the most populous state. California state agencies do not collect abortion data to contribute to federal surveys.

According to the Guttmacher data, the number of abortions declined by 8 percent between 2000 and 2005, from 1.31 million to 1.21 million. Similarly, the 2005 abortion rate of 19.4 per 1,000 women aged 15-44 was down 9 percent from 2000.

Abortion rates were highest in Washington, D.C., New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Florida,

Maryland and California. Rates were lowest in largely rural states: Wyoming, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Dakota, Idaho and Utah.

However, the report noted that the rates reflected the state in which the abortion occurred, thus including nonresident women who crossed state lines to get an abortion.

More?

Report: Abortions at lowest number since 1974 - CNN.com

This is encouraging news!

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"Destiny must be shaped and not left to mere chance."..Spencer Collins

So the number is actually higher...

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"You get the respect that you give" - cnredd

No...You're misreading it...

In some states, abortion is higher then previously...But NATIONWIDE, from all the states who allow abortion, the number of aboritions actually declined.

Only thing I don't get is the article is new (published today) but numbers are coming from 2005? 3 years ago?

So what are the stats for 2006 or 2007? This article is only saying that abortion rates dropped nationwide in 2005...Which is kinda misleading for those reading it as 'today's news'?

Did the trend continue to lower nationwide, rise, or remain the same?

What happened in 2005 doesn't reflect what those figures are currently.

No. The number per state would be affected, not the total number.

If a woman went from NY to NJ to get an abortion, that one would be counted for NJ. It would not be an increase or decrease in the total number.

They MAY...

What someone needs to do (not me) is find the LAWS in each state...like "parental consent", age limits, and other rules...and find out WHEN they were implemented...

If a state starts up one of these laws, then the number of abortions in that state will obviously go down BECAUSE the ones who want abortion are subverting the law by going outside the law...

How many clinics are performing abortion that are not reported?...How many young women went someplace other than a clinic to have an abortion because of the law?...

Not every abortion performed is done in a fully accredited clinic which reports 100% of their actions...

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"You get the respect that you give" - cnredd

I should've been more clear in my quoting...My above post should help...

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"You get the respect that you give" - cnredd

Hmmm...Hmmmm....

Thing is, you're coming from that with the assumption that that wasn't already happening...What you're suggesting is purely hypothetical input to what is known of actual documented abortions.

Since there's no way of knowing of what the count for 'illegal' or 'undocumented' abortions prior, there's no way of determining what they are now, in regards to the stats posted.

Which basically makes that argument a moot point as we're not talking about unknown numbers, but known numbers. Although some might have resorted to illegal methods, many more of those would have went to states that allowed legal means, or had 'consent' laws that fit their situations...

So let's just stick to what the OT was adressing...The known cases?

But you can't address an issue without realizing that cases have fallen through...

Put it this way...

Imagine if there were laws to ban cigarettes...What would happen...

You got it!!!...An UNDERGROUND MARKET for cigarettes!!!...

The logical conclusion would be the same for anything...including abortions...

When anyone puts restrictions on something, those restrictions will be invariably subverted...and of course, unreported...

For all we know, the number could be the same or even higher...It definitely can NOT be lower than what's been reported...Simply illogical to report abortions that weren't performed...

But it's VERY logical to perform abortions without them being reported...Disgusting and illegal, but logical...

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"You get the respect that you give" - cnredd

One has to wonder how the Morning After pill will play a roll in these stats.
In my view,it is an abortion,more acceptable to some but still an abortion!
These do it yourself abortions will remain "unreported".

Controversy still surrounds the 'morning-after pill'

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"Destiny must be shaped and not left to mere chance."..Spencer Collins

Yup...

Science has also played a role in unreported abortions, too...

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"You get the respect that you give" - cnredd