Here’s a look at some information and statistics on abortion in the United States.
Facts:
January 22, 1973 – Roe v. Wade – The US Supreme Court, in a 7-2 decision, affirms the legality of a woman’s right to have an abortion under the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution.
The most common method of legal abortion (before 13 weeks) is surgical vacuum aspiration.
“Partial birth abortion” is a controversial name for intact dilation and evacuation (or extraction). A ban on the procedure was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2007.
State Policies on Later Abortions compiled by the Guttmacher Institute.
Abortion Statistics:
The following is the number of abortions reported to the CDC (As of 2017):
2013: 644,435
2012: 699,202
2011: 730,322
2010: 765,651
2009: 784,507
2008: 825,564
2007: 827,609
2006: 846,181
2005: 820,151
2000: 857,475
1995: 1,210,883
1990: 1,429,247
1985: 1,328,570
1980: 1,297,606
The number of abortions in the United States increased gradually from 1973, then peaked in 1990 and has been on the decline since then.
The abortion ratio increased from 196 per 1,000 live births in 1973 to 358 per 1,000 in 1979 and remained nearly stable through 1981.
The ratio peaked at 364 per 1,000 in 1984 and has steadily declined since then.
2013 Statistics:
2013 is the most recent year for which the CDC has released statistics. The reporting areas are the District of Columbia; New York City; and 47 states, excluding California, Maryland, and New Hampshire.
664,465 legally induced abortions were reported to the CDC, from 49 reporting areas. This is an abortion rate decrease of 5% compared to 2012. There were 13.2 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15-44.
91.4% of 2013 abortions were performed at or less than the 13th week of gestation. Of those 66.0% were performed at or less than the eighth week. 22.2% of all 2013 abortions were qualified as early medical abortions.