Abortion is Common: 10 Abortion Statistics You Probably Don’t Know

In the imagination of the far right, abortion is a dangerous procedure that leaves people traumatized and broken. While we know better in the pro-choice movement, we often talk about abortion as something other people do, and not a normal part of women’s health care. Abortion clinics play a key role in women’s health. They save lives, open doors to new freedom, and partner with families to support a wide range of decisions across the life span. Abortion is common, normal, safe, and perfectly moral. Here are 10 abortion statistics you probably don’t know.

1. Abortion enjoys broad support. Almost no one supports banning it outright. Eighty-four percent of Americans think the procedure should be legal in at least some cases. Even 79 percent of “Never Hillary” Republicans said in one survey they thought Roe v. Wade should remain in place.
2. 1.3 million women have an abortion every year. By the age of 45, almost 1 in 4 women will have had an abortion.
3. Eighty-eight percent of abortions happen in the first trimester of pregnancy, and half occur during the first eight weeks. It is neither legal nor possible to abort a baby just before birth, as Republicans claim.
4. Abortion enjoys bipartisan support. Just 22 percent of Republicans think abortion should be illegal in all cases.
5. Banning abortion does not necessarily make it go away. In Latin America, where abortion is banned or heavily restricted, the abortion rate is higher.
6. Banning abortion increases maternal mortality. When El Salvador banned the procedure, suicide became a leading cause of death for women and girls. The pregnancy death rate is exponentially higher than the abortion death rate.
7. Lack of money is the most common reason women choose abortion.
8. The most common emotion women report after abortion is relief. Even 5 years later, 99 percent of abortion recipients express relief, not regret.
9. Opposition to abortion correlates directly with opposition to legislation that supports families. Nine specific interventions are proven to lower the abortion rate. Republicans oppose them all.
10. Abortion rates drop the most under Democratic leaders. The abortion rate fell dramatically under President Obama’s leadership. Cuts to women’s health clinics such as Planned Parenthood, by contrast, elevate the abortion rate.

Access to abortion clinics is not enough. Abortion is part of the full spectrum of women’s health care. Everyone deserves a good abortion. To find a compassionate, respectful abortion clinic near you, click here.