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The US abortion rate fell by 13 percent from 2008 to 2011, according to a new study.
The study, released by the Guttmacher Institute, a pro-abortion-rights think tank, concluded that nearly 1.1 million abortions took place in the United States in 2011, some 700,000 fewer than in 2008. That’s the equivalent of 16.9 abortions per 1,000 women between 15 and 44. During the same time, the number of abortion providers fell by 4 percent and the number of abortion clinics fell by 1 percent.
The study did not examine reasons for the big drop. The authors suggested that one factor was greater reliance on new types of birth control, including intra-uterine devices such as Mirena, which can last for years and are not susceptible to user error like daily contraceptives such as condoms and birth control pills.
They also noted the economy as a contributing factor, because people tend to adhere more strictly to their birth control during harsh economic times. But they did not credit the recent wave of state laws restricting access to abortion, because most of those took place in 2011 or later, after the study.
These restrictions will surely have an impact on the numbers going forward, said Rachel K. Jones, a senior researcher at Guttmacher and lead researcher on the paper per Washington Post.
“If the abortion rate continues to drop, we can’t assume it’s all due to positive factors” such as better adherence to contraceptives, she said, calling the laws passed in 22 states “onerous.”
The report is released as tensions intensify in the long-standing debate over abortion and contraception.
Six states showed no change or increase in their abortion rates including Alaska, Maryland, Montana, New Hampshire, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Agencies/Canadajournal
