2006 Pennsylvania Abortion Statistics Synopsis

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The Pennsylvania Department of Health recently released abortion-related statistics for 2006. The report revealed that the number of abortions performed in Pennsylvania in 2006 increased 5.2%.

There were a total of 36,731 abortions done in Pennsylvania in 2006. This number represents the 5.2% increase from the 2005 total of 34,909 and 44.2% decrease from the highest total (65,777) in PA in 1980.

8,033 of those abortions were done in Allegheny County (an increase from the 2005 total of 7,771) following only behind Philadelphia with 15,763. Again this year, almost 2/3 of all the abortions for the entire state were performed in Allegheny County and Philadelphia.

There were more first time abortions (55.2%), but nearly half (44.8%) of the abortions performed (16,437) were repeat abortions where the woman had had at least one other abortion. 1,122 women had had four or more previous abortions.

While black Pennsylvanians account for roughly 10 percent of the population, alarmingly they accounted for 39% of abortions performed in PA in 2006.

Once again the largest single age group of women having abortions was 20-24 accounting for 12,454 abortions in 2006. This group was followed by women aged 25-29 with 8,401 abortions. Teenagers followed this group with 12-19-year olds accounting for 6,415 abortions. Of those, the numbers break out as follows:

The majority of abortions were done in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy (28,634). But 4,385 abortions were performed on mothers between the 13th and 23rd week of pregnancy. Of those 247 abortions occurred after the 21st week of pregnancy.

As of December 31, 2006 there are 100 facilities in Pennsylvania registered to do abortions – down from 101 in 2004, 102 in 2003, 106 in 2002 and 110 in 2001.

A complete report is available by calling the Office for Respect Life at 412-456-3156.