U.S. Abortion Rate Falls to Lowest Level in Decades

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Jones' team also found that the average cost of an abortion at 10 weeks was $413, about $11 less than in 2001 when inflation is taken into account.

The number of providers in 2005 was 1,787, 2 percent fewer than in 2000.

The findings triggered mixed reactions.

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"This study shows that prevention works, and that's what we provide in our health centers every day," Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood, said in a statement. "Planned Parenthood knows from daily experience that the best way to continue the downward trend is with policies that expand access to health care and real information. At the end of the day, Americans of all stripes believe that we need to do more to prevent unintended pregnancy and make health care affordable and accessible."

While the study didn't include an analysis of why the rate is declining, Janice Crouse, director of The Beverly LaHaye Institute at Concerned Women for America, a conservative public policy organization, said one reason could be a decline in abortions among teen girls.

That drop, she added, is partially explained by the success of abstinence programs. "Abortion definitely has gone down, particularly among young people," Crouse said.

"We'd like to take a look at the dynamics [behind the statistics]," said Jones, adding that Guttmacher plans to look more closely at the use of RU-486 in future research.

More information

For more information on abortion in the United States., visit Guttmacher Institute.

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