Abortions rise in state; 1st increase since 2006

Published 10:15 am Thursday, July 2, 2015

ST. PAUL — Minnesota health officials said Wednesday that abortions performed in the state rose 2.2 percent last year, the first increase since 2006.

According to a Department of Health report, 10,123 abortions were performed in 2014, up from 9,903 in the previous year. In 2006, there were about 14,000 procedures.

The department reported a Minnesota abortion rate of 8.7 per 1,000 women of child-bearing age in 2014, compared with a rate of 8.6 in 2013.

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In 2006, the state’s abortion rate was 12.1 per 1,000 women, still far below its peak of 17.2 in 1980, when 19,028 procedures were performed.

Last year’s increase appeared to occur primarily among American Indians, whose abortion rate per 100 live births rose from 12.8 to 17.5 (for 226 total abortions).

The rate among Asian-Americans rose from 12.1 to 12.5 (692 total), while abortion rates decreased among whites (8.8 to 8.7) and African-Americans (29.8 to 28.7).

About 90 percent of Minnesota abortions occurred in the first trimester of pregnancy, the Health Department reported. The rest were in the second trimester.