Source: Shutterstock.com/pkchai

Anecdotal evidence of women deciding to delay motherhood is showing up in a major way in quantitative analyses. A new government report, “Estimated Pregnancy Rates and Rates of Pregnancy Outcomes for the United States, 1990-2008,” from the National Center for Health Statistics has found that among American women in their early 20s, pregnancy rates have fallen almost 18 percent from 1990 to 2008, and their abortion rate has dropped by 32 percent.

In 1990, the pregnancy rate among 20- to 24-year-olds was 198.5 per 1,000. As of 2008, that rate was 163 per 1,000 women. That 18 percent difference was much more dramatic than the change among 25- to 29-year-olds. The decrease in pregnancy rates in that group was just 6 percent. Abortion rates also went down in both age segments from 56.7 per 1,000 in 1990 to 38.4 per 1,000 in 2008 among the women in their early 20s. For women in their late 20s, the difference in abortion rates was 33.9 per 1,000 in 1990 to 28.6 per 1,000 in 2008.

“It’s not just the teens,” one of the study authors, Stephanie Ventura, said referring to a study in February which found teen pregnancy and abortion rates had dropped dramatically. “Abortion rates are down across the board. If the pregnancy rates are down, including both births and abortion rates, that would show more efforts to prevent unwanted pregnancies.”

That means more women are taking advantage of birth control, including condoms and other hormonal contraceptives to stop motherhood altogether, and some are simply delaying pregnancy as seen by the fact that the decreases in these rates aren’t as dramatic in women in their late 20s.

Overall, the report showed in 2008, 65 percent of pregnancies ended in a live birth, 18 percent in an abortion and 17 percent in fetal loss. In 1990, 61 percent of pregnancies ended in a live birth, 24 percent were aborted, with 15 percent resulted in fetal loss.

*Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

Brande Victorian is the news and operations editor for madamenoire.com. Follow her on twitter @Be_Vic.

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