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Abortion Rate Plummets In NYC
By
Lauren Evans
Published Feb 17, 2014
Modified Feb 17, 2014
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By
Lauren Evans
Published Feb 17, 2014
Modified Feb 17, 2014
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The abortion rate in New York City reached an all time low in 2012, thanks likely to the increased use of contraceptives.
The number of terminated pregnancies dropped 8.6 percent from 2011, 19 percent from 2003 and 22 percent since 2000, according to data published in the Health Department's Vital Statistics 2012 report.
Of the city's 197,046 "viable pregnancies," 73,815 ended in “induced terminations” in 2012. On a related note, teen pregnancies dropped to an unprecedented 23.6 births per 1,000—an 8.5 percent drop from 2011. The report attributes the new numbers to the increasing prevalence of IUDs—a form of birth control inserted into the uterus—which are 99 percent effective at preventing pregnancy.
According to the Post, the Bronx has the highest abortion rate at 47 percent, followed by 32 percent in Brooklyn.
When it comes to women's rights, the city is making slow strides. Governor Andrew Cuomo's proposed Women's Equality Act was largely stalled following outrage over an amendment that would allow abortions after 24 weeks into a pregnancy if a woman's health was found to be at risk. (The Act's nine other pieces of legislation passed the Senate, but the State State Assembly refused to vote until all 10 are passed.) On the bright side, though, the NYC-branded condom is as popular as ever and now comes in a new, larger size.
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abortion
department of health
Lauren Evans
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