The annual number of abortions reported in Ohio has dropped below 24,000, its lowest level since the state began tracking the data in 1976.
The yearly report released Friday by the Ohio Department of Health says 23,216 pregnancies were terminated in 2013. That's about 2,000 less than in 2012, when the number increased for the first time since 2000. The state's reports don't speculate on reasons for the decline. Doctors are required to inform the state about induced abortions through confidential reports, which are used to compile the data. Nearly 95 percent of abortions last year were obtained by Ohio residents. About one-third of the women were ages 20-24, and about 12 percent were younger than 20.