Health

US Abortion Rate Drops To Its Lowest In A Decade

The abortion rate declined every year between 2006 and 2015, according to the CDC.

US Abortion Rate Drops To Its Lowest In A Decade
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Fewer women in the U.S. are having abortions today than 10 years ago, according to a new report

According to data from the CDC, just over 638,000 abortions were reported in 2015. That was 24 percent fewer than the nearly 843,000 reported in 2006. Rates fell among all women, but especially for girls and women between 15 and 19. That group saw a 54 percent decrease in that same time span.

The CDC doesn't say why abortion rates have declined in recent years, but some analysts believe it's due to better access to contraceptives and stricter state abortion laws.

Despite the large scope of the study, the CDC acknowledges a few gaps in its data. Because the reporting was voluntary, some states had more robust and consistent data than others.