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State Agency Reports 2% Drop in Induced Abortions in 2018
By: Associated Press
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – The Ohio Department of Health says the number of induced abortions in the state continued a downward trajectory last year.
The department said in a report released Tuesday that 20,425 abortions were reported last year for a drop of 2% from the 20,893 reported in 2017.
Officials say last year’s decrease is part of a downward trend in abortions that began in 2001. The 2018 ratio of 142 abortions per 1,000 live births was slightly down from 2017.
Data shows 56% of abortions last year involved pregnancies of less than six weeks. A new Ohio ban on abortions after the first detectable fetal heartbeat would affect those types of pregnancies. That so-called “heartbeat law” has been blocked during a court challenge .
Another 30% involved pregnancies of nine to 12 weeks.