General Information: Abortion & Its Effects

Abortion Statistics

Reasons Women Abort (List):

• Four in 10 of unintended pregnancies end in an unplanned birth.
• In 2000, 1.31 million pregnancies were terminated by abortion in the United States.
• Almost 90% of abortions are performed in the first trimester of pregnancy (in the first 12 weeks after the first day of the last menstrual period).
• Each year, about 10 women, on average, die from induced abortion.

Who Has Abortions: Age Source: Jones et al., 2002

• < 15 years, 0.7%
• 15-19 years, 18.6%
• 20-24 years, 33.0%
• 25-29 years, 23.1%
• 30-34 years, 13.5%
• 35-39 years, 8.1%
• 40-44 years, 3.1%

Who Has Abortions: Marital Status Source: Jones et al., 2002

• Never married, 67.3%
• Married, 17.0%
• Separated/Divorced/Widowed, 15.6%

Who Has Abortions: Race/Ethnicity Source: Jones et al., 2002 *Non-Hispanic

• White*, 40.9%
• Black*, 31.7%
• Native American*, 0.9%
• Asian/Pacific Islander*, 6.4%
• Hispanic, 20.1%

Who Has Abortions: Religious Identification Source: Jones et al., 2002

• Protestant, 42.8%
• Catholic, 27.4%
• Other, 7.6%
• None, 22.2%

Who Has Abortions: Source: Jones et al., 2002

• Prior Pregnancies Previous Abortion and Previous Birth, 36%
• Previous Birth, 25%
• None, 27%
• Previous Abortion, 12%

State Restrictions on Abortion: Source: AGI, 2002

• Parental consent or notification required for minors 32 states
• Mandatory delay and state-directed counseling 18 states
• Limitations on private insurance coverage for abortion 4 states

Abortion clinics-defined as facilities where half or more of patient visits are for abortion services-provide 71% of all abortions. Other clinics, including some group practices, provide most of the rest.

The proportion of abortions performed in hospitals has declined markedly, from 22% in 1980 to only 5% in 2000.

Percentage of Providers of 400 or More Abortions Per Year Who Have Reported Harassment in 2000:

• Picketing 80%
• Picketing with physical contact with patients 28%
• Vandalism 18%
• Picketing homes of staff members 14%
• Bomb threats 15%