ABORTION SERVICES IN THE UNITED-STATES, 1991 AND 1992

According to a survey by The Alan Guttmacher Institute, 1, 529, 000 abortions were performed in 1992, the lowest number of abortions since 1979. The abortion rate has gradually declined, from a high of 29 per 1,000 women of reproductive age in 1981 to 26 per 1,000 in 1992. The number of hospitals, clinics and physicians' offices that provide abortions-2,380 in 1992-has been declining at a rate of about 65 a year. Most of the decline has occurred among hospitals; the number providing abortions decreased by 18% between 1988 and 1992. Most US. counties (84%) have no known abortion provider, and in nonmetropolitan areas, 94% of counties have no provider Among metropolitan areas, 33% have either no abortion provider or none that serves at least 50 women per year Among states, North Dakota and South Dakota have only one provider each. Most abortions (69%) are performed in abortion clinics, and only 7% are performed in hospitals. Fewer than 1% of women who have an abortion are hospitalized for the procedure.