Induced abortion in the United States: Statistics

Virtually half of the pregnancies among American women in 2011 were unintended, and about 4 in 10 of these were ended by abortion. 21% of all pregnancies (exclusive miscarriages) in 2011 were terminated by abortion. Approximately, 1.06 million pregnancy terminations in 2011 were carried out, down 13% from 1.21 million in 2008.

Since 1973 to 2011, almost 53 million legal terminations happened. The rate abortion in 2011 was 16.9 per 1000 women aged 15-44, reduced 13% from 19.4 per 1000 in 2008. It is the lowest rate observed since pregnancy termination became legal in the United States in 1973. 1.7% in 2011, of women aged 15-44, terminated their pregnancy. Half of these women had at least one previous abortion.   

Who had abortions?

12% of U.S abortive patients in 2014 were youngsters- 18-19 years old for 8% of all terminations, those aged 15-17 accounted for 3% and teenagers younger than 15 for 0.2 percent. More than half of all abortive patients in 2014 were in their 20s: Women aged 20-24 attained 34% of all terminations, and women aged 25-29 obtained 27%.

In 2014, 17% of women who had abortions identified as mainline protestant, thirteen percent as evangelical protestant and 24 percent as Catholic; 38% reported no religious affiliation. Some 46% of all abortive patients were unmarried and were not living together in 2014. 59% of pregnancies ending patients in 2014 were obtained by patients who had at least one previous birth. In 2014, 49% of patients who abort had incomes of less than 100% of the federal poverty level ($11,670 for a single adult with no child).

26% of women who abort in 2014 had incomes of 100-199% of the federal poverty level. The reasons women gave for having a pregnancy termination emphasized their understanding of the responsibilities of motherhood and family life. There are three most common reasons which cited by three-fourths of patients (each) - were concern for or responsibility to other persons; the incapability to afford a child; and the belief that having a baby would interfere with career, work, or the ability to care dependents. Partly said they did not wish to be single parent or were having issues with their partner or husband.  

Early Medication Abortion:

The Food and Drug Administration of the United States permitted people to buy abortion pill in the U.S as an option to surgical abortion in September 2000. In March 2016, the FDA updated mifepristone brand to reflect the scientifically proven treatment, which has being already utilized by abortive providers. The new treatment allows women to take lesser dosages and make fewer provider appointments, and also permits for medical pregnancy termination up to 190 weeks of gestation.      

Some 59% of abortive providers (1,023 services) provided one or more first trimester medication pregnancy terminations in 2011.  At least 17% of healthcare services offered only early medical abortion facilities. In 2011, abortion through medication accounted for 23 percent of all self-induced abortions, and 36% of terminations prior nine weeks’ gestation.

First trimester terminations through medications increased from 6% of all procedures in 2001 to 23% in 2011, even while the general number of pregnancy terminations continued to decline. Facts from the Central for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) prove that the standard time of abortion has shifted prior within 10 weeks of gestation; this is likely because, partly, to the availability of medical abortive services.

Safety of Abortion:

An early ending of pregnancy is among the safest medical methods and carries minimum risks (less than 0.05%) of major complications that might need hospital supervision. Pregnancy cancellations carried out in the first trimester pose nearly no long term risk of issues such as ectopic pregnancy, infertility, miscarriage, or birth defects, and small or no risk of preterm or low-birth-weight deliveries. 

Leading experts have concluded that majority of women prefer to buy abortion pills to abort their unplanned pregnancies because the risk of mental health issues is no larger if they have a single early abortion than continuing the unwanted pregnancy.