ABORTION IN THE UNITED STATES

Abortion is an extremely safe and common medical procedure. In the United States, over one million women had an abortion in the year 2000. Advances in early abortion techniques have helped to increase the proportion of early procedures, the safest type. Abortion rates have been declining since the early nineties among adults and adolescents, but rates among poor, minority women remain high. State restrictions to abortion have a larger impact on poor women and young women. Restrictions and regulations have also resulted in the concentration of abortion services in specialized clinics. These clinics are subject to harassment. The expansion of abortion services to more types of providers could increase access, as well as integrate abortion into women's health care.