In states across the country, 625,978 abortions were reported in 2021, with Florida showing the highest number in the analysis, according to data published Wednesday from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The Florida figure was listed as 79,817 abortions in 2021 — higher than some big-population states such as New York (63,487), Texas (51,860) and Illinois (51,797). Georgia, at 41,833, was also one of the highest figures in the analysis.
The data, provided voluntarily by central health agencies, included 48 areas — 46 states, the District of Columbia and New York City. California, Maryland, New Hampshire and New Jersey were excluded in the data.
The number of abortions were different than the rates. In that analysis, Florida showed a rate of 20.3 for abortions in 2021. Three other areas and states had higher rates than Florida: 21.8 for District of Columbia; 20.8 for Illinois, and 21 for New York City.
Since 1969, the report stated, the “CDC has conducted abortion surveillance to document the number and characteristics of women obtaining legal induced abortions in the United States. After nationwide legalization of abortion in 1973, the total number, rate (number of abortions per 1,000 women aged 15–44 years), and ratio (number of abortions per 1,000 live births) of reported abortions increased rapidly, reaching the highest levels in the 1980s, before decreasing at a slow yet steady pace.”
However, the CDC’s 2021 report does not include what happened in 2022, when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion. That was on June 24, 2022. Since then, states across the nation have been scurrying to make changes — or not.
In Florida, the state Legislature passed a 15-week abortion ban last year and a six-week ban this year that would take effect if the Florida Supreme Court upholds that 15-week ban. The Florida Supreme Court has heard oral arguments and a ruling is pending.
Of the 625,978 abortions, 622,108 were from 47 reporting areas that provided data every year during 2012–2021. In that analysis, the total number of abortions increased 5%, from 592,939 total abortions to 622,108 from 2020 to 2021.
Overall, from 2012 to 2021, the total number of reported abortions decreased about 8% — from 673,634 to 622, 108.
The CDC report stated that multiple factors influence the incidence of abortion. Those include access to health care services and contraception, the availability of abortion providers and clinics, state regulations, parental involvement laws and legal restrictions on abortion providers and clinics.
This article originally appeared in florida phoenix