Nov. 27 (UPI) -- There was a 2 percent drop in abortions reported in the United States in 2016, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday.
The agency issued an update with its latest figures based on reporting from 47 states and Washington, D.C. Not included in the data were California, Maryland and New Hampshire.
In 2016, there were 623,471 legal abortions, down from 636,902 in 2015. That accounts for a rate of 11.6 abortions per 1,000 women between the ages of 15 and 44 and a ratio of 186 abortions per 1,000 live births. There were 188 abortions per 1,000 live births the year previously.
Over a 10-year period, the number of abortions in 2016 fell by 24 percent. The rate fell by 26 percent and the ratio fell by 18 percent. All three measures reached their lowest levels in 2016 since 2007.
In 2016, 91 percent were performed at 13 weeks or less gestation, 7.7 percent were performed at 14 weeks to 20 weeks gestation and 1.2 percent were performed at or after 21 weeks gestation. Of all abortions in 2016, 27.9 percent were medical (non-surgical), up by 14 percent in 2015 and 113 percent in 2007.
The CDC said women in their 20s accounted for the majority of abortions throughout the 10-year period.
