Abortions on Major Decline

NEW YORK (AP) - A new report says the number of abortions in the
U.S. has dropped to its lowest level since 1974.
A survey by the Guttmacher Institute found there were 1.2
million abortions in 2005, down 25 percent from the all-time high
of 1.6 million in 1990.
Researchers say there are several likely reasons for the
decline, including more effective use of contraceptives, lower
levels of unplanned pregnancy, and greater difficulty in obtaining
abortions in some parts of the country.
The report also notes there was an increase in the number of
early-medication abortions, notably through the use of the RU-486
abortion pill.
The institute says despite the decline, more than one in five
pregnancies ended in abortion in 2005. The institute's president
says officials must ramp up efforts toward prevention through
better access to contraception.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)