In 2009, US abortions down 5 percent

Compared with 2008, the total number and rate of reported abortions for 2009 decreased 5 percent, or a total of 784,507 abortions, health officials said. Karen Pazol, Dr. Andreea A. Creanga, Suzanne B. Zane, Kim D. Burley and Dr. Denise J. Jamieson of the Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found the abortion rate for 2009 was 15.1 abortions per 1,000 women ages 15-44. In addition, the report found the abortion ratio was 227 abortions per 1,000 live births. In 2009, adolescents ages 15-19 accounted for 15.5 percent of all U.S. abortions and had an abortion rate of 13 abortions per 1,000 adolescents ages 15-19. Women ages 20-24 had 33 percent of all abortions, while women ages 25-29 had 24 percent of all abortions. In contrast, women ages 30-34 had 15 percent of all abortions, women ages 35-39 had 8.8 percent of all abortions and women older than 40 had 3.3 percent of all abortions. In 2009, 64 percent of abortions were performed at less than 8 weeks' gestation, 92 percent were performed at less than 13 weeks' gestation, 7 percent were performed at 14-20 weeks' gestation, and 1.3 percent were performed at longer than 21 weeks' gestation. Twelve women were reported to have died as a result of complications from known legal induced abortions in 2009, the report said. Abortions ranged from 769 in South Dakota to 119,996 in New York, while the abortion rate ranged from 4 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15-44 in Mississippi to 29.8 in New York.