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LINCOLN, March 18, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Gov. Mike Johanns announced today that the number of abortions in Nebraska has gone down for the fourth year in a row, falling from 5,140 abortions in 1998 to 3,775 abortions in 2002. The figures are part of the Nebraska Health and Human Services System’s (HHSS) 2002 Statistical Report of Abortions released today.

“Since 1998, the number of abortions performed in Nebraska has fallen by 1,365, or 26.6 percent,” Gov. Johanns said. “That is excellent news, but it saddens me to think of the human cost and lost potential to our state that results from having more than 21,000 abortions take place in the last five years.”

The continuing downward trend may reflect a cultural change regarding the issue of abortion, and may reflect fewer unintended pregnancies for both single and married women, Gov. Johanns said.

Between 2001 and 2002, abortions reported to Nebraska’s HHSS declined by 207 abortions or 5.2 percent. In 2001, 3,982 abortions were reported, compared to 3,775 abortions in 2002. Most of the decrease was in teenagers age 19 and under, dropping from 20.8 percent of the total in 2001 to 18.8 percent in 2002.