Because of the surge in a number of states shutting down abortion clinics - which has been done under the guise of women's health and safety. The reporting numbers are obviously going to show a lower number of abortions in those states. However, states that haven't reduced facilities have shown a consistent drop in abortions since Roe v Wade.
Here's what is happening in states such as Texas whose legislators have been unscrupulous and lying about their motives for creating laws, which in effect have caused a large number of clinics to shut down. Underground reports have slowly emerged, which show that "chemical abortions" are taking the place of clinically provided medical abortions.
Clinics have served as much needed services. It's inevitable that clinical abortions will eventually shift to primarily pharmaceutical. Why? Because pro-life's self-defeating efforts to make women second class citizens like in the golden days of religion, prior to the Age of Enlightenment.
The need for freedom and self-determination brings out the best in people. Especially women who, since the beginning of humanity, have either been victims of strong-arm mentality by men or by religions who realized long ago that controlling women's reproductive rights perpetuate their existence.
The substantial increase in chemical technologies will probably become profitable enough to encourage large pharm companies (probably more so overseas) to substantially increase production of current chemicals used for abortion and develop better technologies for more effective abortion drugs.
The government can't publicly list personal information about women who have abortions. But they can list statistical data. This statistical data has been used a the primary tool of pro-life advocates to serve as their primary weapon to battle against pro-choice.
However, as pharmaceutical abortions become more and more prevalent the statistical data, which government disseminates will eventually die out. Or at least to the measure that such data has be used to attempt to ban abortion rights will fade away.
When the act of abortion finally becomes what it should be - according to the Constitution - PRIVATE between a woman and her medical provider. And that can and will happen way more rapidly as pharmaceutical abortions emerge. Then not even the government will know anywhere near all of the statistics they currently collect. Therefore religions and anti-abortion groups won't have near the information on how many abortions have happened...and to whom (race, ages, etc).
So maybe shutting down clinics will wind up being the swan song for anti-choice - and not for the reason they have crusaded for. Just the opposite will occur. Women will finally be free of religions, governments, and men trying to control their their reproductive health and roles.
