Statistics released last week from Florida Right to Life, compiled from data gathered by the state Agency for Health Care Administration, show that Floridians are having fewer abortions.

The number of abortions in Florida dropped in 2009 to 82,038, the lowest levels the state has seen since 1997.

The number of abortions in Florida peaked back in 2006 with 95,586 abortions performed in the state that year. Since then, the number has decreased, with 91,954 in 2007 and 87,520 in 2008.

A Gallup poll released last month found that 18-29-year-olds were increasingly declaring themselves anti-abortion, with 23 percent of Americans in that age group believing abortion should be illegal under all circumstances.

Pro-life advocates believe this trend among young people is an important reason why the number of abortions is dropping in Florida.

“There’s been a general trend in the public moving from choice to life, especially among young people,” said Sheila Hopkins, Associate Director of Social Concerns/Respect Life with the Florida Catholic Conference.

Randall Terry, director of the Society for Truth and Justice and a veteran pro-life activist, agreed that the younger generation is increasingly against abortion. “Statistically, this generation of young people are more pro-life than their parents,” he said.

When asked about the decline in abortions, Hopkins said that one of the main reasons for it has been new laws, including changing parental-notification regulations.

“Whenever you have even the slightest legislation to defend the baby, it makes a difference,” said Terry.

Pro-choice advocates said that restricting access is one of the reasons for the decline in abortions. “There is something to be said that when you cut off access, you will see a decrease in the number of abortions,” said Peggy Loonan, founder and executive director for Life and Liberty for Women, a nonprofit organization that says it promotes "aggressive abortion rights education."

Pro-life advocates maintain that new technology is also helping their cause. “So many crisis pregnancy centers have ultrasound machines that let women see their baby,” said Hopkins.

Terry said that “the advance of ultrasound technology has eliminated all doubt that this is a living baby."

Loonan agreed that ultrasounds were a factor in lowering the number of abortions, but she said that came from other reasons. “Crisis pregnancy centers use ultrasounds to guilt women into becoming mothers,” she said.

Pro-life advocates said that there are other factors lowering the number of abortions, including people talking about their negative experiences with it.

“So many people come forth who had an abortion and speak out against it,” said Hopkins. “They don’t want other people to suffer like they did.”

But Loonan said more comprehensive sex education and increased access to birth control have also played a part in the declining number of abortions.

Contact Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com, or at (904) 521-3722.