Abortion Rate Increasing Among Low-Income Women, Declines Overall
May 24, 2011
According to a study published this week in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology, the abortion rate in the United States dropped eight percent between 2000 and 2008, while rising nearly 18 percent among the country’s poorest women. The study’s authors believe this might reflect tough economic times.
“In the middle of a recession, it’s possible women have reduced access to contraception and have more unintended pregnancies,” said Rachel Jones, who is a senior research associate at the Guttmacher Institute and lead author of the report. “It’s also possible that women confronted with unplanned pregnancies when they are out of work decide to have abortions, even though they might have carried it to term in more stable times.”