The U.S. abortion rate has hit its lowest point since the procedure became legal nationwide in 1973, according to a new study. The researchers estimated that there were 926,200 abortions in 2014, or 14.6 abortions for every 1,000 women of reproductive age. The Guttmacher Institute is considered an authority on the abortion rate, having tracked it since 1973 by conducting a census every few years of all known abortion providers. “In Texas I don’t think that the decline in abortion has been related to improvements in contraceptive use,” Grossman said. That suggested to the researchers that women were struggling to find abortion providers, resulting in delays and procedures that are riskier and more expensive.

Source: Los Angeles Times January 18, 2017 04:23 UTC