Washington: The number of abortions in the United States fell to the lowest level since the procedure was made legal some 35 years ago, according to a national study released today.
The Guttmacher Institute, which researches issues pertaining to reproductive health and sexuality, said there were about 1.2 million abortions in 2005 25 per cent fewer than in 1990,when the number of abortions was about 1.6 million procedures.

In 2005,the US abortion rate was 19.4 abortions for every 1,000 women between the ages of 15 and 44,according to figures compiled from surveying abortion providers. The 2005 figure represented an eight per cent drop from the number of abortions in 2000.

The finding underscores a continued a downward trend that started after the abortion rate peaked at 29.3 procedures per 1,000 women in 1981,according to the institute.
Despite the drop, slightly more than one pregnancy in five ended in abortion in 2005,the Guttmacher Institute said.

Source : PTI