In 2010, 12,826 abortions were performed, compared with 13,108 in 2009, Information Services Division Scotland said. It is the second year abortion figures have dropped.

The number rose each year from 2002, when 11,870 abortions were carried out, to 2008, when the total was 13,902.

Last year, the rate was highest among women in their late teens, at 21.4 per 1,000.

And at least a quarter of women having an abortion in Scotland have had a previous termination, the report showed.

Tayside had the highest rate of terminations at 14.7 per 1,000.

The proportion of early terminations grew steadily in recent years, with 65.2 per cent of all terminations performed at less than nine weeks in 2010, compared with 62.2 per cent in 2009.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: "It is encouraging to see a reduction in the number of terminations for all age groups for the second year running.

"Education has a key role to play in reducing unintended pregnancies and, with the full introduction of Curriculum for Excellence in August last year, children and young people learn, as part of a broad health and well-being curriculum strand, about relationships, sexual health and parenthood.

"We are developing a new sexual health and blood-borne virus framework.

"Within that, there is continued emphasis on the importance of relationships, sexual health and parenthood education, the provision of drop-in services for young people to access information and services, and the availability of a range of contraception options to meet women's needs, including longer-acting reversible contraception."

The figures also showed a "clear link" between poverty and abortions, statisticians said.

The abortion rate in the most deprived parts of Scotland was 16 per 1,000 - almost double the rate of 9.2 per 1,000 in the most affluent areas.

Other figures yesterday also revealed that more Scots are trying to give up smoking with the help of the NHS.

There were 79,672 attempts to quit made with the help of NHS smoking cessation services in Scotland in 2010 - up almost 8 per cent from 74,038 attempts in 2009.

Ash Scotland chief executive Sheila Duffy said: "These figures show that investment in NHS stop-smoking services is a continuing success story.

"Scotland's services are both effective and cost-effective in helping an increasing number of Scots to reject tobacco."