Family Life

01.11.11 | Sarah Harnisch

  A brand new report released today shows abortions might be leveling off-- but not quickly enough. According to the Guttmacher Institute, the 2008 rate of abortions is exactly the same as the rate from 2005. The group has tracked abortions since 1974, and says there were 1-point-2 million abortions in 2008. That's 19 abortions for every 1000 pregnant women. The peak of 29 abortions for every 1000 women was reached in 1981. The rate has been on the decline for several years-- but some are wondering why it hasn't gone down much for 3 straight years. Columbia University Professor Beverly Winikoff says it could be the recession, which we were still in in 2008. She says the state of the economy convinces people they can't afford children. New York has more abortions then any other state. Pennsylvania's numbers are just slightly lower.