The following comes from a November 27 Fox Health article:

Federal statistics show abortions have been in a general decline for about 25 years.

The number of reported abortions dropped 4 percent in 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. About 699,000 abortions were reported to the federal government that year. That’s about 31,000 fewer than the year before.

Experts offer various reasons for the recent drop: Better use of birth control and the lingering effects of the economic recession. Others argue there’s been a cultural shift and more women opt to continue their pregnancy.

The CDC data is not a complete national picture. It’s based on reports from health departments in 47 states, Washington and New York City. California, Maryland and New Hampshire don’t report abortion numbers.