ATLANTA — As abortion rates declined nationally to a historic low, rates in Georgia rose 8%.

New data released by the Guttmacher Institute —which supports abortion rights — shows national abortion rates decreased 7% between 2014 to 2017 while at the same time Georgia rates rose by 8%.

Throughout the U.S. in 2017, 862,320 abortions were performed in clinical settings in 2017, the lowest since the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade legalized abortions in 1973.

The Guttmacher Institute began collecting data upon legalization — rates prior to the decision are unknown.

Approximately 36,330 abortions were performed in Georgia in 2017 — although not all may have been provided to Georgia residents, the report says. The total number of abortions in Georgia represent 4.2% of abortions nationally.

The number of facilities providing abortions in Georgia fell by two over the three year period to 26 facilities — 15 of which were clinics.

Still, 95% of Georgia counties had no clinics that provided abortion services although 55% of Georgia women lived in those counties, the report says.

According to the Guttmacher Institute, between July 2011 and July 2019, states enacted 483 new abortion rules that included: parental notification or consent for minors, limits on public funding, mandated counseling prior to the service, mandated waiting periods and new regulations on clinics.

However, the report clearly indicates that the policy changes — while a factor — are not the main reason for declining rates. National declines in birthrates play a large part.

In May, Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law the state’s ‘heartbeat’ bill, banning abortion as early as six weeks into pregnancy making Georgia the fourth state to pass similar laws this year.

When he signed the bill that became one of the nation’s most restrictive pieces of abortion legislation, CNHI reported that Kemp said, “Georgia is a state that values life. We protect the innocent. We champion the vulnerable. We stand up and speak for those who are unable to speak for themselves.”

At the same time, Andrea Young, who is the executive director of the ACLU of Georgia, called the measure a “Frankenstein bill” full of unjustifiable medical claims and implications for women’s health care.

The law has been challenged in federal court.