Report: U.S. abortion rate falling

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 (UPI) -- A national survey of U.S. abortion providers showed a 9 percent decrease in procedures from 2000-05.

The Guttmacher Institute's survey of 1,787 abortion facilities found 1.2 million procedures were done in 2005, which was the lowest number since 1976, The Washington Post reported.

The reproductive-health research organization's research published in the March issue of the journal Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health said the number of abortions among women ages 15 to 44 declined from 1.3 million in 2000 to 1.2 million in 2005. The number of abortions peaked in 1990 at 1.6 million, the survey said.

Institute spokeswoman Rachel Jones said a number of factors could be behind the decline.

"It could be more women using contraception and not having as many unintended pregnancies," she told the Post. "It could be more restrictions on abortions making it more difficult for women to obtain abortion services. It could be a combination of these and other dynamics."