U.S. abortion rate hits lowest point in 26 years. (Number of Providers Declines).

The U.S. abortion rate continued to decline in 2000, reaching the lowest level since 1974, according to research presented during a teleconference sponsored by the Alan Guttmacher Institute.

The rate for 2000--21.3 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15-44--represents a 5% drop since 1996, the last time the nonprofit reproductive health organization surveyed U.S. abortion providers.

The number of abortion providers in the United States is also falling. Between 1996 and 2000, the number of abortion providers declined from 2,042 to 1,819--an 11% decrease.

The abortion rate peaked in 1980 and 1981 at 29.3 abortions per 1,000 women. The drop between 1996 and 2000 represents a leveling off in the rate of decline.

In 2000, 1.31 million abortions were performed, a 3% decrease from 1996. "About 2% of women of reproductive age had an abortion in 2000. For comparison, about 6%-7% of women have a birth each year," said Dr. Lawrence B. Finer of the New York City--based institute.

Rates dropped in 35 states and the District of Columbia but increased in 15 states. The largest declines were in Massachusetts and Missouri; the largest increases were in Delaware, Kansas, and Idaho. State rates in 2000 ranged from 1 abortion per 1,000 women in Wyoming to 68 abortions per 1,000 women in the District of Columbia.

Regionally, rates per 1,000 women were higher in the Northeast (28) and West (25) than in the South (19) or Midwest (16).