Introduction:

The issue of Roe v. Wade has become subject to increased attention since a release of a leaked draft opinion by Justice Samuel Alito that would overturn this ruling. Some law professors have warned that if Roe v. Wade is reversed, the Supreme Court’s 2015 decision declaring a constitutional right to same-sex marriage could be in jeopardy.

I have tried hard to fairly represent the Pew Research findings. That said, if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, I would say that this decision would rank as one of the five worst decisions that the court has ever made.

 

Main:

American’s Attitude Toward Abortion

In the latest Pew Research, 61% of U.S. adults say abortion should be legal all or most of the time, while 37% say it should be illegal all or most of the time.

 

How many abortions are there in the United States each year?

An exact number is hard to determine. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Guttmacher Institute do their best to measure this.

CDC estimates 629,898 abortions in 2019. Guttmacher estimates 862,320 in 2017.

 

Has the number of abortions in the U.S. changed over the years?

The numbers are hazy because, according to a 2017 article in American Journal of Public Health, purchases of pills outside of clinical settings has increased.

Guttmacher recorded more than 1.5 million abortions in the U.S. in 1991, almost 75% more than the 862,320 reported in 2017.

The abortion figures do not include abortions from pills that were obtained outside of clinical settings.

 

Has the abortion rate among women in U.S. changed over time?

Guttmacher says that in 2017 there were 13.5 abortions in the U.S. per 1,000 women ages 15-44. In 1981, there were 29.3 abortions per 1,000 women.

 

What are the most common types of abortion?

CDC divides abortions roughly into two categories: 1) 56% of legal abortions in clinical settings and 44% used pills

 

How many abortion providers are there is the U.S. and has the number changed over time?

In 2017 there were 1,587 facilities. This includes 808 clinics, 518 hospitals, and 261 physicians’ offices.

95% of abortions take place in clinics

 

What percentage of abortions are for women who live in different states from the abortion provider?

About 9.3%

 

What are the demographics of women who had abortions in 2019?

In the District of Columbia and 47 states that reported data to the CDC in 2019,

  • the majority of women who had abortions (57%) were in their 20s,
  • (31%) were in their 30s,
  • Teenagers 13 to 19 accounted for 9%,
  • Women in their 40s accounted for 4%.

The vast majority of women who had abortions in 2019 were unmarried (85%), while married women accounted for 15%, according to the CDC.  This data is from 41 states and New York City (but not the rest of New York).

 

When during pregnancy do most abortions occur?

90% during the first trimester

 

How often are there medical complications from abortions?

2% have complications

.4 deaths per 100,000 abortions