the decline in (surgical) abortions in the U.S. over time

Rob Stein in the Washington Post (hat tip: C-J) on the latest abortion statistics and potential explanations for the decrease...

The number of abortions performed in the United States dropped to 1.2 million in 2005 -- the lowest level since 1976, according to a new report.

The number of abortions fell at least in part because the proportion of women ending their pregnancies with an abortion dropped 9 percent between 2000 and 2005, hitting the lowest level since 1975, according to a nationwide survey....

The total number of abortions among women ages 15 to 44 declined from 1.3 million in 2000 to 1.2 million in 2005, an 8 percent drop that continued a trend that began in 1990, when the number of abortions peaked at more than 1.6 million, the survey found. The last time the number of abortions was that low was 1976, when slightly fewer than 1.2 million abortions were performed.

The abortion rate fell from 21.3 per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44 in 2000 to 19.4 in 2005, a 9 percent decline. That is the lowest since 1974, when the rate was 19.3, and far below the 1981 peak of 29.3.

Many potential reasons for the decline...

"It could be more women using contraception and not having as many unintended pregnancies. It could be more restrictions on abortions making it more difficult for women to obtain abortion services..." said Rachel K. Jones of the Guttmacher Institute...

"This study shows that prevention works, and that's what we provide in our health centers every day," said Cecile Richard of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America...

Suzanne T. Poppema of Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health speculated that wider availability of the morning-after pill also might be playing a role. "I would like to say that it's at least partially due to increased availability of emergency contraception". This is "known as Plan B, a high dose of standard birth control pills, can prevent pregnancy if taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex."...

Randall K. O'Bannon of the National Right to Life Committee: at least some of the drop may be the result of changing attitudes.

I'll post more on O'Bannon's argument shortly...