Baltimore Sun Examines Reasons For Declining Abortion, Birth Rates

Main Category: Abortion
Also Included In: Pregnancy / Obstetrics;  Sexual Health / STDs
Article Date: 30 Apr 2008 - 9:00 PDT

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The Baltimore Sun on Sunday examined potential reasons for declines in abortion and birth rates in the U.S. between 1990 and 2004.

According to a report released earlier this month by CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, the U.S. abortion rate declined by about 24% from 1990 to 2004. The number of abortions declined to 1.22 million in 2004, a decrease of 390,000 from 1990. The teen birth rate also decreased by 35% from 1991 to 2005. The teen pregnancy rate declined by 38% from 1990 to 2004, and the abortion rate among teens decreased by 50% during the same time period, the report found.

There are likely many reasons for the simultaneous decline in birth rates and abortion rates, the Sun reports. There are more contraceptive choices available, fewer unintended pregnancies and evidence that fewer teens are engaging in sexual intercourse, according to the Sun. NCHS demographer Joyce Abma said that "from the mid-1990s through the early 2000s, we saw significant improvements in contraceptive use among teens," adding, "That involves the barrier methods -- the condom in particular, as well as the pill and the newer" injectable contraceptives. In addition, more contraceptive options have become available -- including intrauterine devices, sponges, patches and emergency contraception -- the Sun reports.

Some experts have said that the increase in state laws that require parental notification or consent for minors seeking abortions also have affected the abortion rate. About 26 states had implemented parental consent or notification by 2006. Michael New, a professor of political science at the University of Alabama, said, "We see the largest and most consistent declines in teen (abortion) rates in the states that have been most active in passing pro-life legislation." However, Stanley Henshaw, a consultant for the Guttmacher Institute, is skeptical about the theory that parental consent and notification laws have had a significant effect on the abortion rate, in part because women under age 18 make up a small percentage of all abortions. "The effect is maybe minuscule, not enough to show up in these statistics," Henshaw, a co-author of the CDC report, said, adding that "the decline (in abortions) has been across the board ... in states without restrictions as well as states with restrictions."

CDC has not yet published pregnancy and abortion statistics for 2005 and 2006, but the preliminary birth rates "have sparked concern," according to the Sun. Lawrence Finer, director of domestic research for the Guttmacher Institute, said, "Any attempts to explain the uptick in teen births have to be regarded as pure speculation" (Bor, Baltimore Sun, 4/27).

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