Abortion Statistics

Abortion Statistics

Statistics on abortion are derived from two basic sources.

The Alan Guttmacher Institute (AGI) is a research division of Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion provider. They actively seek out statistics from abortion providers nationwide, and publish extensive statistical analyses on there website. These statistical summaries give information on how many abortions there are, who gets them, and why they get them. For a summary, see www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_induced_abortion.html

The other source of statistics is the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), located in Atlanta, Georgia. This institute of the federal government receives from individual states, on a voluntary basis, a report on the statistics regarding abortion in that state. Regular summaries of this information are available to the public on a regular basis -- for example, the report on abortion surveillance, and the report on pregnancy mortality surveillance (pdf format). Because reporting to the CDC is voluntary, their numbers for abortion statistics are lower than those of AGI.

Opinion tracking of the American public about abortion is another area of statistical analysis. The Gallup Organization (www.gallup.com) has conducted an in-depth analysis of American public opinion on abortion and made their summary available to the public. You can read more polls on abortion and birth control from various sources at www.pollingreport.com/abortion.htm.

May 22, 2008: Abortion Issue Laying Low in 2008 Campaign (PDF)

April 2008: Marist Poll: The Impact of the Pope's Visit to the United States (PDF)

April 2008: Roe vs. Wade Poll

January 14, 2008: Washington Post/ABC News Poll - on the legality of abortion

December 11, 2007: ABC News/Washington Post Poll (PDF)

November 8, 2007: ABC News/Washington Post Poll: Social Issues (PDF)

October 2007: ABC News/Washington Post Poll: Social Issues (PDF)

October 26, 2007: Fox News Poll on Abortion (PDF)

October 23, 2007: Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg Poll (PDF)

October 12, 2007: CBS News Poll on the Evangelical Vote (PDF)

September 25, 2007: Rasmussen Poll on the importance of selected issues to voters. (PDF)

August 2007: Harris Poll on Social Issues and Their Potential Impact on the Presidential Election (PDF)